Same as Christ?

The title this morning is a bit presumptuous. I am not implying that I am the same as Christ, you will notice the question mark.

“¹Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourself with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, ²so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.” – 1 Peter 4:1-2 (ESV)

Peter explains that I should be carrying out my day to day in the same way that Christ carried out His day to day. Not worried about the suffering that comes. Not concerned with the adversity and persecution. Not looking to please man. I should be looking to please God and when doing so sin will not be an active part of my life. The commentary in my ESV Bible says, “Although believers will never be totally free from sin in this life, when believers endure suffering for the sake of Christ they show that their purpose in life is not to live for their own pleasures but according to the will of God and for his glory.”

So, I should be living my life as Christ. I should concern myself with spreading the good news of God and doing His will. As I do, I will suffer for the world does not understand. But isn’t that the point. When the world does not understand, that is my chance to help them understand. I am then able to fulfill the work that god has tasked me with.

Are you trying to please the world? Are you trying to avoid the suffering, adversity, and persecution? What if you simply lived your life the same as Christ?