Lesson 13 Warring Against the Flesh: Put to Death the Misdeeds of the Body
Questions 6 and 7
When we are led by the Spirit to put to death the misdeeds of the body, we suffer. When we say no to ungodliness, crucifying our sins rather than gratifying our flesh, we suffer. When we deny ourselves and take up our cross, we suffer. Jesus “suffered in the flesh” as He died to sin, and so must we.
1 Peter 4:1 ESV Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin.
Question 6. According to 1 Peter 4:1, to what does suffering lead?
Yes, whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin. So we can see, then, that suffering is an integral part of freedom. Are you willing to suffer?
When we suffer in the flesh we should remember two essential truths from our study in Romans 8 today:
In the Garden of Gethsemane, He wrestled with thoughts of wanting to escape God’s wrath but chose to suffer for you instead. When Judas betrayed him, He suffered for you. When God laid your sins on His shoulders, He suffered for you. When the soldiers pounded nails in His hands and feet, He suffered for you. When God poured out all His wrath on Him, and His Father turned His back on Him, He suffered for you.
And now, when you suffer by putting to death your sin, you suffer with Him. You are not alone in your suffering.
Second, this suffering in the flesh leads to glory. “…provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.” Just as Jesus was raised from the dead, ascended to the Father and now lives in eternal glory, so our suffering likewise leads to glory. The glory of freedom from our flesh, the glory of living upright and godly lives, the glory of obedience to God.
And again, just like suffering was “with Him,” so living in glory is “with Him.”