How to Stop Sinning
Therefore, 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, 1 Peter 4:1 NASB
Suffered in the flesh – “Do you need a permanent solution to sin?” I don’t mean, “Do you need forgiveness and relief from the penalty of sin?” I mean, “Do you need to stop committing sins?” Peter has the answer for you. Die!
Dead men don’t sin. Obviously. Dead men don’t do anything voluntarily. But is this solution really very helpful? Not if you want to enjoy the results. Suicide is not an answer to sinful behavior (although it does remove the problem).
Peter uses the expression pathontos sarki. You may recognize both root words – pathos and sarx. As an aside, we should notice that here the word sarx cannot mean “sinful nature,” as it is translated by the NIV in Romans, since it is attributed to Yeshua. It simply means, “in physical form, i.e., the body.” Peter’s solution to the problem is adopting the same pattern of behavior that Yeshua exhibited, namely, to be obedient even if it means death. Peter declares, “Our Messiah Yeshua experienced (pascho) bodily suffering. Who are we to think we are exempt? Bodily suffering brings an end to sin.”
We certainly recognize the suffering of Yeshua HaMashiach. We realize that His suffering became the vehicle for the defeat of the enemy and the removal of death as defilement. Of course, this includes the crucifixion, but it is not limited to the crucifixion. Yeshua embraced the will of the Father throughout His life and that often meant other forms of suffering. So Peter draws our attention to the divine purpose of suffering. In fact, Peter would probably argue that the man who wishes to avoid suffering at all costs is not a disciple of the Suffering Servant. The same might be said for the one who complains about the divine design in suffering. But is it really true that one who suffers in the same way as Yeshua ceases from sin? That seems a bit too much, don’t you think?
Perhaps we need a few clues. First, we should notice that Hebrew has no direct equivalent for the Greek pascho. Hebrew does speak about suffering, but the LXX only uses pascho four times. Why is this the case? Pascho implies something that happens to someone; an outside force or action that affects an otherwise neutral party. Pascho suggests passive experience. In Greek, it is the opposite of free will acts. Eventually, this Greek word became the domain of feelings, experiences of the soul that come upon us in ways we do not control. The best example in English is the idea of “falling” in love, a feeling that overcomes you. Compare this with the Hebraic idea that love is a fully voluntary commitment, an act of the will, and you will see the difference.
When Peter uses pathontos (aorist active participle) he implies that Yeshua’s suffering came upon Him. Yeshua did not seek it. It happened to Him. But notice the next phrase, “Arm yourselves with the same purpose.” This is interesting because it implies that Yeshua recognized the purpose behind what happened to Him. In other words, He did not consider the results of other’s actions as merely happenstance. He saw the hand of YHWH in what others did and this changed His view of the experiences He had. He converted passive events into active intent! Peter implores us to do the same.[1]
But it’s still a problem, isn’t it? How can my mental attitude adjustment about suffering stop me from sinning? Ah, now we see that Peter is not talking about all sins. He is talking about the sin of discounting the sovereignty of God in the circumstances of suffering. When we encounter trials that make a mess of our lives, we have a strong proclivity to forget sovereignty. We start focusing on what all of this means for us and that, of course, is exactly what Havvah did when she decided to take action at the suggestion of the serpent. In fact, doing what is good in my eyes is the essence of sin. So when Peter tells us that adjusting our thinking about the role God gives suffering prevents us from falling into sin, he is simply providing a midrash on Genesis 3.
Now we see something in the text that we didn’t notice before (maybe?). Now we have to do something about it.
Topical Index: pascho, suffer, purpose, feelings, pathontos, 1 Peter 4:1
[1] Just so you don’t miss this THEME throughout Yeshua’s ministry, remember what He said to the disciples about the man born blind. Take a look at past Today’s Word studies of John 9.
The curses in Deut. 28 are what I apply to this verse; because they are what i found in my life when I was tempted with this sin Peter was talking about. I was hit pretty hard, and life continued that way for decades. I struggled to apply the Law as best I could, as I had already chosen it, and knew from experience that it was good, but it wore me out.
I did find out lots of interesting things about myself, others, and G-d, though. And when I got fully tired of being sick and tired and being creamed, He sent me motivation and the platform for understanding and change.
As I learned how my sinful thinking was directly causing my affliction; as I learned more about what sinful thinking (i.e. fear, guilt and shame vs, Godly awe, conviction and humility) was doing in my body and in my life, I learned to repent and quit. As I learned to quit accusing myself, G-d and others, and quit listening to the same, I learned to shut the door on how the stinkin’ thinkin’ was getting in.
The panic attacks at 3 a.m. quit, the insanity cleared up, and i went from flat on my back with crashed immune and endocrine systems, a slipped disc, chronic fatigue, super low blood pressure, etc. A long list of ways my body was conforming to sinning thought. The correlation between fear and the body response is astounding! The Law really does cut across every aspect of our lives, and across every dimension! Nature writes it out as effortlessly and flawlessly as the spirit does!
This is my testimony. My Saviour does not want me afflicted: He wants me whole. I mean, a Christian who is just as sick and tormented as the rest of the planet has a harder time witnessing to the love and power of G-d! 3John 2 tells me that it is Godly to wish above all things that I “prosper and be in health; even as thy soul prospereth”. Well, as I figured out how to clear up my soul (who knew fear was a sin?!), my health immediately cleared up, too!
Affliction of those curses cured me of even wanting to go back to those faithless ways. the correlation between how I am in soul, and how I experience it in body, is pretty crystal clear to me now. Now when I see manifestation of a curse, I see it as an opportunity of mercy, giving me time and motivation to get it right, as there is going to be an open door of sin somewhere that is activating that curse!
This whole system is amazing to me! As I repent, I find myself on my knees in gratitude to my Saviour who took my curses in His Body, so I can be free of them in mine. I am sorry and grateful to Him every day! Halleluah!
I find this very interesting. Are you basically saying, “Name it and claim it?” If not, how did you learn to change your stinkin thinkin so that you regained health? (You’ve regained physical health from these changes in the way you think, right?)
Just having a hard time following you. Want to understand.
Thanks for posting. It’s super wonderful to hear of victory in YHVH!
Hey, that’s a good question, Daria. Do you really think the name it and claim it crowd are getting results?
No, this was what I would want to call Obey and Receive. As the science catches up to reality, it is quite clear that what we believe and think is reflected in our bodies. Fear shame and guilt are clearly written all over us, but people do not really know what to do about that. And no, I don’t believe you can just think your way to health. Reason? Your mind just goes right back to wallowing in the mire when you aren’t looking.
What changed it for me? To study the Law and realize that to line up what I BELIEVE with what it says about loving the Lord My G-d with all my heart, mind and soul and my neighbor as myself WAS the way to change my thoughts. Period. I saw my mind refuse to think a thought that went against what my heart was believing already. This was a heart thing for me. I had to agree with the Truth, and no that was not an intellectual exercise. I had to learn how to recognize and take every thought captive that did not line up with the mind of Christ, and actively cast down every imagination that exalted itself. I found a LOT of false gods in my life. Fear of man, myself, evil, the past, etc. Bitterness, accusation in so many forms against G-d, myself, others. Envy; the sin of Comparing with ANYTHING, including my definition of ‘righteousness’, Rejection, which I kept agreeing with and that was tearing up my guts, all unloving and anti-Christ thoughts, including all self-stuff, from self-exaltation to self pity to self abasement, etc., but most of all, fear. I have seen Skip say insanity is what you do when you aren’t thinking lawfully (my paraphrase!). Some years were so bad; the rebellion years I was schitzo, and knew it; the fear was incredible. Performing for love, which I ended up doing, was a totally adrenaline-driven exercise, and chronic fatigue was where it manifested.
As I learned, by the grace of G-d, to trace these causes and effects, I learned to see my problem. I repented of performing for love, and for the fear it ran on, and decided that chronic fatigue was not a manifestation of righteousness in me. I prayed for forgiveness, and THEN, well, cast it all down in the Name of Yeshua, and, there is no other word for it, claimed my healing, as I felt I had repented of the sins that were causing it. I was instantly healed of 38 years of chronic fatigue. I cleaned my house all that night! It took a year or so for the thyroid and adrenals to balance, etc., and I had to go ask what fear was keeping my blood pressure so low, as blood pressure is affected by fear. I saw then it was hidden fear, and I remember as a child making that decision to hide it, and why. I repented for that, and my blood pressure rose that night to normal, and has been there ever since.
So, yes, I can tell you sinful thoughts produce disease, as righteous thoughts produce health, but mind-over-body won’t cut it. Only when my sins are actually removed and cast into the bottom of the sea, can my poor head have new thoughts. Wrong beliefs (faithlessness) are where I messed up. And it was only the Law, and all that precious Word, that could possibly correct them.
I do want to testify; the Name of Yeshua IS POWERFUL! It is what I used to get the fear, etc. out. As 2 Tim. 1:7 told me that I had not been given a spirit of fear, I decided that it did not belong. So I repented for entertaining it. I told it to leave in that precious Name, and it got very quiet in my real estate. I could hear myself think: hey, I could hear the Holy Spirit! I used to believe that fear was just me, and I would beat myself up for it. Now I realize that wrong spirits can get given to me; I don’t make them up. Yes, I can make up wrong thoughts, but fear is not a thought! It is a parasite, and it is not me. I have gotten a lot more aggressive in cleaning up my real estate, as I want to have a clean heart to invite His Holy Spirit into. I pray for G-d to renew a right spirit in me every day. His precious voice is all I want to hear, and I have lost my patience with anything that does not sound like Him.
I want to obey all the commands that delineate HOW to love my G-d, myself, and my neighbor. To do that, I have to examine all wrong beliefs and thoughts that do not match His Word, and get them out. I was sick for 40 years. Long enough. Repent is my middle name, now. I like having a sane head and excellent health! Halleluah!
I appreciate your post. I printed it off as I have a hard time reading lengthy stuff on the computer. Thanks for taking the time to explain how you were delivered from CFS +++ through a renewal of your mind. While I certainly don’t believe that all illness is because of sin (as Scripture points out), it is always the first thing I point to and sincerely try to examine/put an end to.
Please pray for me. I have new, debilitating symptoms.
Dear Daria,
I am praying. I am praying for your faith to be strengthened, and that you will have courage to go and ask what the Father has in mind for you.
My illness was from a broken heart. I was a happy healthy girl one day, and got up the next morning in full blown exhaustion and a trashed immune system from family trauma. My heart got broken, and I lost my faith. I no longer believed that I was already loved and cared for, and because of that, I was driven to perform in order to receive love.
The verses I finally found that applied to me were in Isaiah 30:15 to the end of the chapter. It was obvious that the harder I tried, the behinder I got. I had to realize how broken my faith was flat on my back; because it was only then that I let it all go. I finally got so sick I could get up only one hr a day, but I resolved at that point (when I had nothing left to lose!) that I would do nothing but sleep or read the Word. I could not hear the Holy Spirit, and I was numbed out; my brain was so fogged I had lost most of my nouns, and almost all names. I was exhausted. From what? Not believing I was loved.
I had to take my broken heart to my Father and ask Him to heal it. And I had to choose rest. No more striving; no more believing I would not be taken care of or that I was not already loved. I had to lay down all adrenaline (fear) reactions to life. Isaiah 58 and Hebrews 4 and Exodus 20 was where I decided I had to stay. If it took adrenaline instead of endorphins, seratonin or dopamine, I could not do it. I realized that love does not run on adrenaline! I had to repent of a lot of things that LOOKED like love, but were bondage, or self righteousness. But there was nothing really wrong with my body; it was just being a responder to my spiritual direction. Low thyroid, blood sugar, oxygen, flat adrenals, etc. etc. are called “syndromes” for a reason, because they are just the body responding to bad directions from the brain. And what is the only thing happening in the brain? Thoughts. Making hormonal and nervous and chemical directives down my creek through my hypothalamus. These days I am more apt to spell the term “sindrome”! LOL There really should be a sign up somewhere that says “Watch what you think- your hypothalamus is listening”! I have learned that the word “peace” is translated in body terms as “homeostasis”. Balance. Our bodies were built to express love, and anything that is not love has no valid outlet, so we just get torn up. Long term fear, which trashes everything, has to be the worst, though.
How did those sinful thoughts change? I had to change what I believed. I THOUGHT I knew what I believed, but that was just in my head. When I went to look in my heart, I found a mess. I was believing lots of nonsense about myself, others, and G-d. At the gut level and in my thoughts and actions. I decided I needed to look at what sin actually is in wrong beliefs and thoughts; in the heart. So subtle; and I found I had bought it ALL at some point or another because it LOOKED like love. I was insanely messed up, and all of it was because I had not been properly loved; my forbears in my generations had not been either, and none of us knew what it really was. So I stood and confessed the sins of my fathers; all those sins against love. Hello, education! Oh! How I love Thy Law!
I know these days what freedom is: true obedience to that Law of Love sets me free from the torment of sin. In ALL DIMENSIONS! HALLELUAH!
Daria, I will join my faith with yours, and I will pray for you. Torment is not from our good Father of all lights. Anything that looks like torment is not rest. I am praying for your rest and peace.
Love, Laurita
I totally can relate to this. Thank you for sharing your heart.
I know that the LAW of GOD is true and am finding out for myself before HIM who is leading that I as many others had to find out.. the LAW simply tells you the truth.
And when it does..you SEE HIS MERCY even that much more.
Now when I share the LAW; many people do not understand as they think I am bringing them UNDER the law and I am not. I tell them that we are not under the CURSE of the LAW but the law was NOT the problem; we were.
GOD certainly knows HOW to bring us along when others will shun HIM thinking they are doing others good when in fact they become stumbling blocks in THE WAY.
Praise the LORD and again ; I thank you for sharing that.
As someone who kind of ‘knew you when’ you first started the journey to wholeness, i have to say, you are and have always been, a joy to have around and be around.
“Joy” being defined here as: “challenging, deep, thoughtful, scary, challenging, over the top response that give almost everyone cause for pause, challenging “. She one of the few that i can have a heart to heart conversation with and not worry about being judged, misunderstood or shut down.
Re: Name it and claim it
Clue: Who is naming it and claiming it?
As per Skip, it is NOT about us, it is about HIM. When WE take his ‘promises’ and start demanding that HE produce, we have overstepped HIS law. It’s a pure heart he responds to, it’s a clear conscious that he can speak to, direct, interact with.
There are myriad of reasons the name and claim it crowd is void of (permanent) and even semi-permanent results.
The spirit knows the Truth of your life. If you are claiming promises that your spirit knows that you have in no way walked worthily of you will not see results.
Your life is a reflection of your spirit’s knowledge of your faith. You create your life w/your spirit, and out of your mouth you will reflect what you carry in your spirit.
Claiming something you do not have the faith to receive, as evidenced by your secret thought life sets you up for spiritual civil war that will manifest in your mind. You will be at war with yourself, evidence by your double mindedness.
It’s not what you say that counts or bears fruit.
It is what you BELIEVE that bears fruit.
And when you speak counter to what you believe, you will have war within.
That is a beautiful testimony Laurita. Thank you for sharing.
Just. – Like My Father
~ And if (since) the Son therefore shall set you free..- you shall be free indeed! ~
~ You will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free ~
~ I AM the …. Way- I AM the Truth.. I AM the Life. ~
~ The one who the Son sets free is free indeed! ~
The Truth is a Person (and that’s the gospel truth!) That Person is the Son of God and God the Son- the Lamb of God, Sovereign Savior Shepherd/King and our Near Kinsman Redeemer. Liberty (not license!) is found (only) *in Christ.* We are free, – not to do as we wish, but to do as we ought. We are now, not only free from the penalty of sin- (death or separation), but we are free from the power (or dominion/authority) of sin. ~ Sin shall no longer have dominion/rule over you. ~
We are now free to make the right choices/decisions. Obedience is always the right choice to make. Obedience, (yes, to the instructions of YHWH) is always the right decision. Sin is disobedience/rebellion. A son or daughter who is “rightly-related” is motivated (by love) to obey (willingly, not forcefully) mom and dad. ~ Children, obey your parents- for this is right (behavior) and well-pleasing unto the LORD.
The words of our Savior (and Exemplar) are these: ~ I always do those things which please my Father ~ Our goal, our fixed focus, our “mission” always should also be,- every waking moment of every day: ~ I always do the things that are pleasing to Him (who is now, “our Father!”) ~ John 8.29
What is the “wisest” decision any man may make? It is to obey God.
What is the most “foolish” decision any man may make? It is to disobey God.
To disobey God is sin and sin is (do we not know by now?) destructive, deleterious, divisive, debilitating, damning. God knows this. So should we.
Why should we want to obey God? What is our motivation? There is no more powerful motivating “force” (pardon my lack of better vocabulary) on this green planet than love and friends, ~ God is love ~ and this man wants to be just, – like my Father!
Love is (always) a choice. So is obedience. He has said, “if (since) you love me, -keep my commandments!” – Why?
~ The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. ~
~ Whatever He says unto you, – “do it.” ~ Even a child is known by what he does. ~ Dear children, let us not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions ~ (1 John 3.18) The one who does not love- does not know God, because God is love! (1 John 4.18)
And right here.. can we not see the “need and necessity”of prayer! LORD, teach us, show us how – to love one another!! (Today) ~ may the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O LORD, my Strength and my Redeemer!
Wow Laureta! Your testimony ministers to me so beautifully as does Skip’s writing. I am just starting on the journey to freedom you are talking about. I guess all my life, because of my understanding of the words “believe” and “faith” I always wondered if God really cared. Now I see what you see. Now I see what Skip is talking about. God is so good. I am no spring chicken and He has not given up on me!! Praise God. There is life after 60!!
Dear Laurita,
Soul sister! Thanks for sharing your story of suffering —
as it IS “The Way” we find Him!
While our specific sufferings were different, God has blessed us
with the same outcome: We know the truth and the truth has set
us free!
Sin is indeed the culprit. It deceives our minds, saturates our souls,
and plagues our bodies.
Even though Jesus knew no sin, everyone He knew on earth knew it
all too well. And He literally went to school on the issue. “though He was
a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.” Heb 5:8
He was “in all points tempted as we are.” Heb 4:15
He laid the groundwork and, indeed, He IS The Way!
“who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered,
He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;
who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having
died to sins, might live for rightousness – – – by whose stripes you were
healed.” 1 Pet 2:23-24
And so I gratefully join you in your hearts’s cry:
HALLELUJAH!!!
Beautiful! Thx. Everyone!
I’m so thankful for SHEMA…He tells us how to Love Him! What a privlage! Have known our Messiah, the living Torah…for over40 years! Now, He has opened our eyes to the TRUTH of the whole WORD! That He is Hebrew..not Greek. Anyway, beautiful testimony, Laurita! TRUTH-EMET! YES n AMEN! (we can be free, even at 60!) 🙂 He, our Abba, is altogether GOOD!