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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 1Pe_4:1-6
1Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 3For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. 4In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you; 5but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God.
1Pe_4:1 "Therefore" This links the previous discussion to what follows.
▣ "Christ has suffered in the flesh" This relates to 1Pe_3:18. Flesh refers to Jesus' physical life. He was really one of us (i.e., human). He died in our place (cf. 1Pe_4:18; Isaiah 53; Mar_10:45; 2Co_5:21). 1 Peter emphasizes Christ's suffering (cf. 1Pe_2:21; 1Pe_2:23; 1Pe_3:18; 1Pe_4:1) and the reality of His followers' suffering because they are following Him (cf. 1Pe_2:19-20; 1Pe_3:14; 1Pe_3:17; 1Pe_4:15; 1Pe_4:19; 1Pe_5:10).
The substitutionary nature of Christ's suffering mentioned in 1Pe_3:18; 1Pe_2:21 is accentuated by several Greek manuscripts adding "suffered for you" (i.e., à ) or "for us" (i.e., à c, A, K, and P).
The same type of pronoun specifying addition can also be seen in 1Pe_4:3. Early church scribes tried to clarify their texts.
▣ "arm yourselves also" This is an aorist middle imperative. "Arm" is a military term for putting on heavy armor and preparing for battle. There is a spiritual conflict in our daily lives (cf. Eph_6:10-20; Rom_13:12; 1Th_5:8).
▣ "with the same purpose" Jesus' attitude toward suffering, including innocent suffering, is that it is normative for the godly in a spiritually fallen world (cf. Joh_15:20; Rom_8:17; Php_1:29; 2Ti_3:12; 1Pe_4:12-19).
▣ "because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin" This phrase can be interpreted in several ways depending on the grammatical form. Christ is our example in suffering innocently, even vicariously (aorist active participle). Believers are now involved in suffering because of their identification with Him.
The main verb can be either middle (A. T. Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament, p. 121) or passive (Moulton's Analytical Greek Lexicon and Barbara and Tim Friberg's Analytical Greek New Testament). If it is middle it is encouraging believers to be actively involved in not sinning as followers of Christ's example. If passive it is emphasizing the spiritual fact of the believer's deliverance from the power of sin.
Death annuls one's relationship to sin. This may be connected to the theological concepts of Romans 6. Death to the old life brings potential service to God (cf. Rom_6:2; Rom_6:6-7) or baptism symbolizes one's newness of life (cf. Rom_6:4; Col_2:12).
The whole point is that as believers follow Christ's example of suffering, so too, His example of victory over sin. We are new creatures in Christ! We must live like it. Christlikeness is the will of God (cf. Rom_8:28-29; 2Co_3:18; 2Co_7:1; Gal_4:19; Eph_1:4; Eph_4:13; 1Th_3:13; 1Th_4:3; 1Th_4:7; 1Th_5:23; 1Pe_1:15). It reflects the fact that the image of God lost in the Fall (cf. Genesis 3) is fully restored in Christ. Christians have a choice again on how they will live. They are no longer slaves of sin! Walk in Him!
1Pe_4:2 "so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men" This reflects the same theological truth as Romans 6. Believers have died to sin and are now alive to God's service (cf. Rom_6:20). Salvation is a new life, a new creation. It has observable characteristics.
▣ "but for the will of God" See Special Topic: The Will of God at 1Pe_2:15.
1Pe_4:3 This verse is a condemnation of the readers' previous lives in paganism. This is one of the verses that causes commentators to assert that the churches to which Peter is writing are mostly Gentile congregations. Pagan society was very immoral, even in its worship practices. Christianity should make a noticeably different and dramatic change in lifestyle habits. This change is often the beginning of the persecution by other pagans. Sin loves company.
After the opening "for," some Greek texts add "you" and others "us." These are both scribal additions trying to clarify the author's phrasing.
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▣ "having pursued a course of" This is a perfect middle participle. Unbelievers have purposefully and permanently set their course on self and sin.
NASB "sensuality"
NKJV, NRSV "licentiousness"
TEV "indecency"
NJB "behaving in a debauched way"
This term implies a total lack of self control, a determined violation of social norms, especially in the sexual area (cf. Mar_7:22; Rom_13:13; 2Co_12:21; Gal_5:19; Eph_4:19; 1Pe_4:3; 2Pe_2:7; 2Pe_2:18; Jud_1:6).
▣ "lusts" This term means to strongly desire something or someone. The intense craving can be positive (cf. Luk_22:15; 1Ti_2:1; 1Pe_1:12), but usually it is negative (cf. 1Pe_1:14; 1Pe_2:11; 1Pe_4:2-3; 2Pe_1:4; 2Pe_2:10; 2Pe_2:18; 2Pe_3:3; Mar_4:19).
▣ "drunkenness" This is a compound term, found only here in the NT of "wine" (oinos) and "bubble over" (phluô). The ancient world drank wine regularly, as did Jesus (cf. Mat_11:18-19) and the early church. It is the excess that is condemned (cf. Pro_23:29-35; Rom_13:13; Gal_5:21).
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NASB "carousing"
NKJV "revelries"
NRSV "revels"
TEV "orgies"
This term kômos is related to the Greek term for village, kômç. It implies a large community-wide festive party involving excess of eating, drinking, and unrestrained sexual activity (cf. Rom_13:13; Gal_5:21).
▣ "drinking parties" This term is related to the previous term. The NJB combines them into "having wild parties and drunken orgies."
NASB, NKJV "abominable idolatries"
NRSV "lawless idolatry"
TEV "the disgusting worship of idols"
NJB "sacrilegiously worshiping false gods"
This list of sins relates to pagan worship practices that often involved excess of drinking, eating, and sexual immorality of the most base kind. It was similar to the Canaanite fertility worship so condemned in the OT.
1Pe_4:4 This verse relates to 1Pe_2:12; 1Pe_2:15; 1Pe_3:16. Christians were misunderstood and attacked because (1) their lives and priorities changed so obviously and radically that family, friends, and neighbors noticed and (2) some of the Christian terms and practices were misinterpreted (i.e., love feasts as incest, Lord's Supper as cannibalism, etc.).
1Pe_4:5 "they will give account to Him who is ready to judge" Judgment is certain (cf. Mat_12:36; Heb_9:27; Heb_10:27; 2Pe_2:4; 2Pe_2:9; 2Pe_3:7). The one who judges is
1. God (cf. Rom_2:2-3; Rom_14:10; Rom_14:12; 1Pe_1:17; 1Pe_2:23; Rev_20:11-15)
2. Christ (cf. Joh_9:39; Mat_16:27; Mat_25:31-46; Act_10:42; Act_17:31; 2Co_5:10; 2Ti_4:1)
3. the Father through the Son (cf. Joh_5:22-27; Act_17:31; Rom_2:16)
Judgment is an unpleasant subject, but a recurrent theme in the Bible. It is based on several bedrock biblical truths.
1. This is a moral universe created by an ethical God (we reap what we sow, cf. Gal_6:7).
2. Humanity is fallen; we have rebelled.
3. This is not the world God intended it to be.
4. All conscious creations (angels and humans) will give an accounting to their Creator for the gift of life. We are stewards.
5. Eternity will be permanently determined by our actions and choices made in this life.
▣ "living and the dead" This means all humans, both those who are alive and those who have already died (cf. Php_2:10; Rev_2:13).
1Pe_4:6 "For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead" There are several theories concerning this phrase:
1. it relates to 1Pe_3:18-20 (i.e., "the spirits in prison")
2. it refers to all humans because all humans, believers and unbelievers, die physically because of sin (parallel to 1Pe_4:5)
3. it refers to those who responded to the gospel but have since died (both aorist passives)
4. it refers to the spiritually dead (i.e., the lost) according to Augustine, Bede, Erasmus, and Luther (cf. Luk_15:24; Luk_15:32; Eph_2:1; Eph_2:5; Eph_5:14; Col_2:13)
This last theory speculates that some (i.e., those who never heard the gospel) will receive a chance to accept Christ after death. This theory is attractive to human reason, but totally foreign to the rest of Scripture (i.e., Heb_9:27). It negates the urgency and necessity of evangelism and missions now! I think option 1 or 3 best fits the context.
▣ "they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit" This phrasing is very similar to the description of Jesus in 1Pe_3:18. It confirms the reality of an afterlife. The Bible is explicit about a resurrection of both the saved and lost (cf. Dan_12:2; Mat_25:46; Joh_5:28-29; Act_24:15).