1 Peter 4:1 says, 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;  As followers of Christ, we are to be like Him.  Christ endured physical suffering in order to remain faithful to the heavenly Father, and we should be willing to do the same.   We are not called on to suffer physical abuse just to suffer, but to be willing to suffer for our faith in God.  Verse two states, 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. We are to no longer live by the lust of our flesh when we become Christians.   Not only are we to be willing to suffer physical abuse to serve God, we are not to let the lusts of the flesh to rule us.  Verse three adds, 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:  Peter, speaking to the Jews, those who were to be God's holy people, were no better than the Gentiles because of their own merit.  They had been just as guilty of sin as had the Gentiles.  The only difference was that God chose to work through them to reveal Himself to the world.  We today, as followers of Christ, are no better than anyone else because of our own goodness, but are simply sinners saved by grace, so we have no reason to feel superior to others because of our own righteousness.  Verse four declares, Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:  People of the world who do not know Christ as Savior and Lord find those who do to be strange when we do not live by the excesses of the flesh.  I am sure you have heard someone ask, "What is it going to hurt?"  The answer is that anything done that is not done under the leadership of the Holy Spirit will harm our relationship to God.  Verse five adds, Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.  When we are tempted to give in to sin, we must remember that it is not the world that will judge us, but God.  Everyone in the world could say that there was no harm in what we have done, but that does not justify us.  We can only be justified by following the will of God in our lives.  God is the ultimate judge of all.  Verse six says, 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.  This is not speaking of preaching to those who are physically dead, but to those who are spiritually dead.  Once we die physically, our everlasting fate is already determined.  We are to live spiritually according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  Verse seven declares, But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.  Even in the time of the disciples, the thought was that the second coming of Christ was close, and it has been the thought of many Christians ever since.  We are to simply be faithful and pray for God's guidance in life and even more so as the time of the second coming draws nearer.  I personally do not believe that we are to be simply waiting and praying for the return of Christ, but instead are to be busy witnessing for Him.  Verse eight adds, And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.  We are called on to have a fervent charity, or love, for all those around us.  When we love everyone with a love like God's love for us, we cover a multitude of sins, because we will act accordingly to God's guidance.  Verse nine states, Use hospitality one to another without grudging.  We are to help others without doing so grudgingly.  God calls on His people to help anyone that they can willingly, and I believe to do so in His name.  We should always give God the glory and not seek it for ourselves.