Walk in the Spirit 2
by Ivan Ho 28 April 2026
Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. 1Peter 4:1-6
The bible teaches us that, because Christ have suffered for us in the flesh, we are to arm (or equip) ourselves with the same mind of Christ so that we no longer live the rest of our time according to the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. (1 Pet 4:1-2)
The will of God in the above passage isn’t restricted to the specific will of God for individuals, but the general will of God that applies to everyone, and everyone includes the followers of Christ. Somehow, some preachers teach that the laws of God are for the Gentiles, not for believers, saying that because they have been redeemed from the curse of the law, they are no longer required to follow the laws of God in the bible. With such mindsets, they are free to do whatever their hearts lead them. It’s true that Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, but He didn’t redeem us from abiding with the law. Jesus didn’t come to abolish the law but to fulfill them.
We can’t say: “I’m not sure what the will of God is”, for His will is clearly written in the Bible, if one spends time to read it. For example, we don’t have to pray to God and ask Him whether it is His will to worship idols, or to commit adultery. Sin isn’t defined by what a person thinks, but by what God says, as written in the Bible. If we have no second thoughts about going against God’s words, we are living like Gentiles. Even unbelievers have moral laws written in their hearts they try to abide with.
Will of God vs will of the Gentiles
There is contrast between the will of God against the will of the Gentiles (1Pet 4:1). Nowadays, the agenda of the antichrist spirits is to push their will in the Gentile world, and be warned, in the churches as well. God has His will for mankind. By contrast, people who don’t follow the will of God are living like Gentiles who follow their own wills and desires.
The word Gentiles comes from the Greek word “ethnos” from which we get the word ethnicity or ethnic groups. According to Strong’s concordance, “ethnos” means the following: “a race (as of the same habit), i.e. a tribe; specially, a foreign (non-Jewish) one (usually, by implication, pagan): – Gentile, heathen, nation, people”.
In other words, Gentiles are people from foreign nations, or tribes who do not follow the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob. They have their own laws, own cultures and practices that are foreign to the laws and kingdom cultures of God.
On the other hand, followers of Christ belong to a “holy nation”, set apart for Christ:
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. 1 Peter 2:9-10
To call Gentiles as non-Jews is an over simplistic point of view, for many ethnic Jews don’t believe in Jesus as their Messiah although they have been given the law of Moses. By contrast, not all non Jews live like pagans, and many non Jewish people in the nations are born again followers of Christ. So when apostle Peter spoke on the will of the Gentiles, he’s not referring to non Jewish people. Peter was addressing fellow believers in Christ and warned them against walking in the flesh and following the will of the Gentiles instead of the will of God. He highlighted some behaviours that are of the flesh pertaining to the will of the Gentiles, such as “lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries”.
Lasciviousness: (Thayer’s – unbridled lust, excess, licentiousness, lasciviousness, wantonness, outrageousness, shamelessness, insolence).
Lusts (Strong’s: a longing (especially for what is forbidden): – concupiscence, desire, lust after).
Lusts are personal desires or longings of the flesh that are opposed to the words and will of God.
Excess of wine – Some people may call alcoholism as some sort of “disorder” but in God’s eyes, it is a sin of the flesh.
Revellings (Thayer’s definition: a nocturnal and riotous procession of half drunken and frolicsome fellows who after supper parade through the streets with torches and music in honour of Bacchus or some other deity, and sing and play before houses of male and female friends; hence used generally of feasts and drinking parties that are protracted till late at night and indulge in revelry).
Halloween parties come to mind.
Banqueting (Strong’s – a drinking-bout or carousal: – banqueting).
We don’t normally associate banqueting as sin, but God is against excessive banqueting and endulgence of the flesh.
Abominable idolatries : (Thayer’s – 1) the worship of false gods, idolatry. 1a) of the formal sacrificial feats held in honour of false gods. 1b) of avarice, as a worship of Mammon).
Idolatry is anything or persons we idolise or worship in place of God. Let’s say you have someone texting you constantly during church services, follow you around everywhere you go, you have become an idol to the other person. Some people enjoy being idolised but to God, any form of adolatries are abominable (or detestable) in His eyes, for idols are false gods that replace the position of God in their lives
The above isn’t an exhaustive list but some common behaviours have been highlighted that many don’t necessarily regard as sins.
For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. (1 Pet 4:5)
According to God, people who follow the will of the Gentiles are as good as “dead’. They tend to follow the will of the Gentiles and the ways of the world because 1) everyone in the world does these things and 2) they have no Christ life in them to resist the temptations and lusts of the world. That’s how we used to live before we came to accept Christ.
For for this cause the gospel was preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. (1 Pet 4:6)
God does not regard Gentiles as members of His kingdom, regardless if they attend church or practice religions or not. God loves people who are of the world and that’s why He sent His only Son Jesus to die for their sins, and that’s why the gospel is preached to them who are lost.
For us who have accepted Christ, we belong to another kingdom called the kingdom of God. We have been set free from the kingdom of self and the kingdom of the world. We are called to follow the word, the ways and the will of Christ.
People who aren’t following the general will of God won’t be able to know the specific will of God for their lives. Why? Because their minds are preoccupied with the things of the world instead of the mind of Christ. We are called to “arm” ourselves with, or put on the mind of Christ. The mind of Christ does not automatically replace our natural mindsets just because we are born again, and that’s why we need to put on the mind of Christ daily.
Will of God doesn’t change according to man’s decisions
A form of “open theism” teaches that God keeps revising His plans based on what people decide to do, that God has plan A, and if it doesn’t pan out, He would then resort to plan B, plan C and so on. God continues to bless individuals’ plans according to what they decide to do. They also teach that God doesn’t yet know our future because it is not set in stones, and God will bless us whatever we decide to do.
This is utter heresy, denying the sovereign will of God.
God didn’t continue with Saul because he didn’t follow His instructions. David wasn’t God’s back up plan based on what Saul did. Saul was like an intermediate manager chosen by the people rather than by God before David was ready to be made king.
People who are impatient to wait on God will produce Ishmaels that aren’t according to God’s will and plans.
But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. 1 Cor 2:15-16
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:2