1 Peter 4:1,2

"Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God."

This sounds a lot like being willing to put up with not doing things that would make you feel good, like lust or gluttony, in order to stay focused on God's will for us.  It is easy to say you can multi task, but the truth is if you are focused on things like playing all the Final Fantasy games or attending the most fashionable parties, then you won't be able to have time for God too.

So to change your life so that you are talking to, spending time with, and listening to God means that you give up a lot of the things that otherwise would have come first and are more open to His guiding.  With Him guiding you and being there to catch you when you fall... life because more enjoyable.  Less dramatic in a sense and more peaceful to experience inside.

1 Peter 3:22

"who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him." 

We had been talking about how people before Jesus came were living with the promise that their death penalty would be paid by Another sometime in the future.  Now though, after Jesus came, we live knowing that it's been paid and we have only to accept.

Baptism is a spiritual cleansing of the conscience... the antitype to the faith and hope the people in Noah's day had for the Savior's coming.

Now, this verse says that after Jesus suffered unjustly for the unjust, that he went into heaven and is basically the Ruler of all.  The One who had suffered the lowest rungs of society is now acknowledged and in charge of everyone from servant to king.  Everyone, whether divine or mortal, unblemished or sinful, must do as He commands.

1 Peter 3:19 - 21

"by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison" ~ verse 19

This by itself seems simple.  Jesus preached to the criminals while on Earth.

In context of the last few versus, it confused me.  Christ suffered for us and died for us... was "made alive by the Spirit."  Then preached to those in prison.  Does this refer to after He rose again?

Then I kept reading and felt less confused and uneasy about how I was interpreting this.  So am going to include verse twenty.

"who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water."  ~ verse 20

Okay, I lied.  We are going to verse 21.

"There is also an antitype which now saves us - baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,"  ~ verse 22

Before Jesus died on the cross, those who trusted in Him had to trust that they were saved for something He would do in the future and that though their sins were not paid for now, that they would be.  When Jesus died in our place for the crimes we committed, that waiting in faith for the debt to be paid happened no more.  Now we are covered and know that if we accept Jesus' gift of salvation and let Him work in our lives to help us no longer be disobedient, that we are free.  Death is no longer a prison to be feared.  

1 Peter 3:18

"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit." ~ 1 Peter 3:18

Context: We are to be compassionate towards those around us and not return evil with evil.  Instead bless others, including those who don't deserve it.  Be meek and respectful.  For God wants this and will protect and be there for you.

Story: I was told a story once about a girl in high school.  She was attending a Christian school and that week there was a guest speaker who was giving hour long talks each day.  At the end of the week, he finished his talk and had music softly start playing.  He asked all who wanted to give their lives to Jesus, or to renew their life with Jesus, to please come up front and kneel.

This girl was a devout Christian who lived life as she believed a Christian should.  She prayed to Jesus and felt like she was a good Christian.  When the speaker made that call, she thought that her life was good with Jesus at the center and she had no need to go forward, as was her right.

Every student slowly made their way to the front, except for that girl.  The speaker continued on for a few minutes saying to just come up if you want a closer relationship with God.  The girl thought she had a close relationship and the idea of renewing it never occurred to her.  She sat alone watching other girls in her class kneeling in prayer while she alone didn't come forward.  Finally, out of impatience for this to end, she came forward and everyone was happy.

Many Christians are like this girl.  They think that they are set for life because they gave their life to God once upon a time.  However, in this sinful world where people around us talk disrespectfully of our government leaders and gossip against people who have been or are in our lives, we need to daily renew our relationship with God.

Quick disclaimer, I'm not saying that what the girl thought was right or wrong, I'm simply trying to get across a small lesson.

Now let's move on to the verse now that we have the context of the last few versus.

Clarification:  In this verse we have several words that we use everyday, but perhaps don't know their full meaning.  The ones I am going to look at are "suffered," "sins," "just," "unjust," and "spirit."

Suffered means to experience or subjected to something bad or unpleasant.

Sins are an immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law.

Just is based on or behaving in a way that is morally right and fair.  Unjust is not.

Spirit is the nonphysical part of a person that is their feelings and character.  Some call it the soul.  Here, the spirit is capitalized to Spirit, making is a being instead of an ordinary noun.  In my church, we believe that the Spirit is part of God and some refer to God also as Trinity.

Conclusion: Christ came to Earth once upon a time and experienced everything bad and unpleasant that a human experiences.  He did this despite being moral and good in our place so that we who are unmoral and corrupted by nature can be brought by Him to God.  He was killed in the flesh but brought back to life by a being that has no physical form, but is instead what one could call the Soul of God.

That gives things a slightly new look on life.

I don't want to just read a verse and go, "Okay, I have heard all that before."  Instead I would like to try to understand the importance and impact these words were meant to have on their readers.  To gain encouragement and guidance from them.  What I get from this verse in a simplified sentence is simply this: Jesus loved us and gave His all so that we could all live together as a happy family someday.

Promises

I signed up for Bible devotions of various kinds from Biblegateway.com.  Here are a few things I came across I thought I would share with you.  God bless.

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress . . . Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind. ~ Psalm 107:19,21

This simply says, "I can trust my God in everything," to me.

"He who hast the Son, Jesus, has life, eternal life. He who does not have the Son does not have eternal life." - 1 John 5:12 NIV

I have a choice.  I always have a choice.  Have Jesus as the center of my life or not?  I choose Him.

[ The Good News About Christ ] Now, brothers and sisters, I want you to ·remember [or be clear about] the ·Good News [Gospel] I brought to you. You received this ·Good News [Gospel] ·and continue strong in it [or and have based your faith on it; [ that he was buried and was raised to life on the third day ·as the Scriptures say [according to the Scripture; Ps. 16:8–11];

As long as I stay true to my faith and love in Jesus, then I belong to Jesus and He will take care of me.

The Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him! Isaiah 30:18

God wants to take care of me and be there for me.  I just have to trust Him.

[ Love Your Neighbor ] Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. ~ Romans 3:8

I am only supposed to care about others... not control them or judge them.  That is what God wants of me.

"And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NKJV)

God is everything and all that I need.  No matter how much I lack, He will make up for it.

1 Peter 3:17

"For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil."

This pretty much is straight forward.  In life there are a lot of things you can choose to do or not do.  Some things are okay with God and some things are things He rather you didn't choose.  He rather you not choose it for your own sake.  He knows you and the circumstances that you will have to be in when you make a choice.  Some things would be harder for you and others if you choose that option. However that very option that you shouldn't choose might look more tempting or beneficial.

For example, that promotion to a more important job position that pays more money and has more benefits. You were amazing at your current job, so you will be good at the promoted place right?  Not always.  Some people are not meant to be in charge of larger groups or to handle the type of stress that exists a step higher. They were good where they were and should have stayed there.  God knows that.

Or when you get locked out of your apartment in the middle of the summer by the landlord because of miscommunication.  You can get angry and frustrated, telling off anyone in ear shot.  But it benefits no one and can cause stressful relations.  It would be wiser to hold your tongue and be slow to anger.

1 Peter 3:16

"having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed."

When people get angry at others and start trash talking them or saying mean things, the automatic response is defensive.  People tend to respond with why they are not that way or to pull down the person who is accusing them.  When Christians are treated in this manner, that is the very thing they shouldn't do.  Just go about living your life normally and with the best behavior you can with as meek an attitude as you can.

This way when people then turn their eyes on you to see how you are behaving, they see that those who accuse you are not justified.

1 Peter 3:15

Review: In the last two verses, we looked at who might hurt us because we are Christians as well as despite this we are blessed.  Sometimes people that we trust and think wouldn't do hurt us without realizing it but we don't have to worry because God will protect and be there for us.

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;" ~ 1 Peter 3:15

Clarification: 
-Sanctify means separation in Greek.
-Hope as a noun means to desire something to happen.
-Meekness is patient, submissive humbleness.
-Fear today means to dread something, but at the time of this writing fear also mean to be in complete awe and respect.

-Defense is has two parts.  The first is to defense or resist attack.  The second is to vindicate or justify something.  Vindicate is to defend against censure.  Justify is to show that something is reasonable.

Analysis:
God wants us to have God in our hearts, and only God.  If anyone asks why we look forward to God's return so much, be ready to tell them with reasons so that they can't criticize you.  However make sure that you do so with a patient, submissive humbleness and with respect.

Evaluation:
As Christians, we are held up to a very high standard because we as followers of a loving and perfect God must also be loving and perfect.  However because we are human, we mess up and hurt (as well as being hurt) others no matter their background or stance in life.  However God is there for us and won't leave us.  We don't have to face this nor what is to come by ourselves because God's blessing, or protection, is on us. We know that our souls are safe.  So it shouldn't be a problem to give God our hearts and to kick out other things that we would otherwise love more than God.  Whenever people bring up how much you love God and wish for His return, tell them why with a spirit of humbleness for the very talking about God should be done with all respect.

1 Peter 3:14

"But even if you should suffer for righteousness sake, you are blessed.  "And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled."  ~1 Peter 3:14

Context: You are to be respectful and compassionate with others... no matter if they annoy you or are a politician... because you love God and want to be the better man which is possible with God.

So when bad things happen, despite living life the best you know how, you are still blessed.  Suffer and blessings don't usually go together.  Suffer is having something bad happen to you.  Blessing is having God's protection.  So even though something bad happens to you, God hasn't left you because He is still there protecting you.

So you don't have to fear other's threats or worry when bad things happen.

I'm experiencing this in a very real way.  I'm overseas in South Korea teaching English.  However with North Korea's threats, I should be worried right?  I'm not.  No one here is except military and political leaders.  I have their view on this, but also I know God's protecting me so I have no need to fear anything.  It will be okay.

1 Peter 3:13

"And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good?"

1 Peter 3:13

Context:  Before this verse, the writer was talking about how you should be respectful and obedient to your employers, your political leaders, and your spouse.  After this, at a glance, it talks about trusting God even in hard times because Jesus suffered too.

Thoughts:  So based on those, let's look at this verse.  It is essentially a question.  If you are a follower of good, that means that you are not a follower of the counterpart which is bad.  Two sides.  So the person who would harm you would definitely not be your comrades, that leaves the other side.

I am remembering the movie, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.  It is part of the Narnia series and the most famous of those.  In this movie, you have a family where the children were sent to the country side where they would be safe from the bombings that were occurring due to the war.  These children accidentally ended up in going into another world, literally, from their own byway of a special wardrobe.

In this movie, you have a Christ figure named Aslan who is a lion.  Then you have the counterpart, a white witch who pretended to be queen of Narnia.  The four children who came were there to essentially redeem the throne that Aslan had set up for the Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve thousands of years earlier.

Through a series of events and trials, three of the children made it to the place of the final battle.  However one had unwittingly betrayed his family and was in the hands of the witch.  Aslan sent a rescue party, but according to the rules of the land, someone who betrays another is the witch's to kill.  Aslan took the young boy's place (even though Aslan was innocent) and died for him.  Then rose up the next day and saved Narnia.

So what does this have to do with the verse?

I mentioned that there are two sides: good and bad.  When you live your life as Jesus wants you to, sometimes people close to you that should be on God's side will hurt you or do things that is very unChristian.  They are not necessary on the devil's side, but are acting on the devil's behalf regardless.  They may not even realize they are.  Like the boy in the movie, they were tricked or unaware of the harm they were causing.

So when I ask you "who is he who will harm you" and your first thoughts is someone in your church or a loved one... don't assume they are bad people.  Pray for them and believe in God to make all things right someday.