Living for God’s Glory
Because Christ suffered in the flesh, Peter calls believers to arm themselves with that same mindset, treating the dominion of sin as something no longer to be served. The remaining time in the body is not to be spent on human passions but on the will of God. Peter insists that enough time has already been wasted in the excesses of pagan life, and he notes that unbelieving neighbors now find Christian restraint both strange and offensive. The paragraph marks the Christian life as a decisive break with the old world of lust and reckless indulgence.
T1herefore, since Christ suffered in His body, arm yourselves with the same resolve, because anyone who has suffered in his body is done with sin. 2Consequently, he does not live out his remaining time on earth for human passions, but for the will of God. 3For you have spent enough time in the past carrying out the same desires as the Gentiles: living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and detestable idolatry. 4Because of this, they consider it strange of you not to plunge with them into the same flood of reckless indiscretion, and they heap abuse on you.
Peter answers present abuse by pointing to final accountability: those who malign believers will give account to the One ready to judge the living and the dead. He then explains that the gospel's preaching must be understood in light of this divine judgment and life in the Spirit. Even where death and human judgment are real, God's saving purpose is not thwarted. The paragraph steadies believers by locating their experience inside the horizon of God's final verdict.
5But they will have to give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6That is why the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged as men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
Peter then turns to life together under the nearness of the end. Because all things are drawing toward their consummation, believers must be clear-minded and sober for prayer, love one another deeply, extend hospitality without grumbling, and use their gifts as stewards of God's varied grace. Whether speaking or serving, they must act in a way that depends upon God and points all glory back to Him through Jesus Christ. The paragraph shows that eschatological seriousness does not produce withdrawal but active, grace-filled community life.
7The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear-minded and sober, so that you can pray. 8Above all, love one another deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9Show hospitality to one another without complaining. 10As good stewards of the manifold grace of God, each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another. 11If anyone speaks, he should speak as one conveying the words of God. If anyone serves, he should serve with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.