5. But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

6. For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.

 

This is an interesting passage There will come a final reckoning—a day when Jesus Christ will judge both the living and the dead. Every person must stand before God and give account. This is the very reason the gospel is proclaimed: to call those who are spiritually dead to awaken, repent, and receive salvation through Christ. Though our bodies perish, our spirits may live eternally.

 

In places like North Korea, Libya, China, and Pakistan, Christians often suffer intense persecution. Yet no one can truly destroy the soul—only the body. As Scripture affirms, the worst harm anyone can inflict is physical, but the spirit belongs to God and is under His sovereign care.

 

All human actions will be brought into account before God. There is a coming day when, through Jesus Christ, judgment will fall upon both the righteous and the unrighteous. For believers, their deeds will be examined—not to determine salvation, but to assess their faithfulness. As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 3 and 2 Corinthians 5, rewards or losses will be given according to one’s work. A solemn warning: the Great White Throne Judgment awaits those who die in unbelief, having rejected or postponed faith in Christ. That separation from God is called hell. As Revelation 20:11–15 makes clear, all whose names that are not written in the Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire—a judgment that encompasses both body and soul. But Jesus offers hope: “He who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has eternal life and shall not come into judgment but has passed from death into life.” (John 5:24)

 

As in the days of Noah, the message of repentance often invites ridicule and rejection. Jesus Himself was mocked and crucified. Early Christians suffered under persecution. Yet just as the ark provided escape for Noah, Jesus is our shelter from God’s wrath. The gospel is victorious.

 

Our time to respond is now. Tomorrow is not guaranteed. If God’s Spirit is stirring in you—if you feel torn between holding onto sin or reaching for eternal life—don’t ignore that call. Accept Him today. Say “yes” to Christ. As John 3:36 says: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.”

 

We carry a great debt because of sin, but God willingly paid that debt through Jesus. His sacrifice blots out our liability—yet only those who receive it by faith will enjoy its benefits.

The gospel wakes us to God and deadens us to the desires of the flesh. To live for the flesh is to be dead to Christ, but to embrace the Good News is to find true life.

 

Judgment is coming—God will have the final word. Some are already living in the Spirit and are present with Christ, but the life of a believer is never easy. Those who seek righteousness often face ridicule and hostility from the world, which resists pure godliness. A godly life exposes sin and demands transformation or accountability. That’s why true believers are mocked, abused, and sometimes even killed.

 

To arm yourself with Christ’s mind is to deny self, take up your cross, and walk in obedience. We are in a spiritual war against fleshly desires—if we surrender to them, we sin, but if we choose suffering for Christ's sake, we defeat sin and walk in righteousness.

 

Peter calls this armor “the mind of Christ.” Christ was focused on righteousness and salvation—so much so that He gave up His life. We must keep our hearts centered on truth, die to self, and accept suffering if it comes with following Him.

 

The one who suffers in the flesh has ceased from sin—not because he’s perfect, but because he chooses righteousness over compromise. The closer we draw to Christ through suffering, the weaker sin’s hold becomes. To suffer for Christ is to identify with Him. It’s a declaration that we belong to Him and lessons the power sin has over us.