<p>4:2 <i>You should no longer live the rest of your time in the flesh- </i>The idea is &quot;So that you...&quot;. Reflection upon the cross must have a distinct mental impact upon us, if we reflect upon it in sincerity and truth. There is what I would call a crucifixion compulsion; a transforming power in the cross. His sacrifice <i>must</i> have an effect upon those who believe it: &ldquo;Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves <i>with the same mind... </i>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&quot; (1 Pet. 4:1,2). So often the will of God is associated with the Lord&rsquo;s death (e.g. Acts 2:23; Lk. 22:22; Mt. 26:42; Jn. 4:34; 5:30; Heb. 10:9,10; Gal. 1:4; 1 Pet. 3:17,18). As the Lord&rsquo;s life and death was devoted to the fulfilment of God&rsquo;s will and not His own, so we too will have that stamp upon us &quot;forasmuch...&quot; as our Lord did and died as He did.</p><p><i>To the lusts of men, but to the will of God</i>- Lusts and will are effectively parallel in :3 and also in Eph. 2:3 and 1 Jn. 2:17. If we don't do the will of God, we are doing the will of men. And we all like to think that we are somehow different from &quot;men&quot; generally. But we are actually controlled by their will and lusts, unless we do God's will. There is no other choice; we are slaves either to God or men. Paul plays on this logic strongly in Romans 6, presenting baptism as a change of master, just as Israel's Red Sea baptism was a change of master from men to God.</p>