Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us. (1 Peter 2:11-12)
How are we to live in this world? I love Peter’s advice.
1. Abstain from sinful desires. We are aliens and strangers in this world. This is not our home. We were designed for Eden and this world is cursed with sin. As believers, this world is also antagonistic to our faith. It wars against our soul. Pretty graphic description. Each day we face a battle. God tells us to be holy. The world offers us every reason to sin. Temptation is everywhere…and in our technological world, freely available to all. We must fight to remain pure. We must discipline our minds, eyes, ears, hands, and feet to live holy lives for God.
2. Live a good life. We are to fight our sinful desires by focusing on doing good. Peter summarizes the good life in 2:17, Show proper respect to everyone. Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king. Each day we are seek ways to show respect to others and show love to our brothers. This is our mission. I like how Hebrews 10:24 puts it, Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. To “consider” implies that we actually take time to think of how we can spur each other on to greater love and good deeds. Ever done that? I confess that I haven’t…at least not too often. Maybe a good new year’s resolution is to take time each morning to think through how we can encourage at least one other person in their faith. Send a note or an email, make a phone call, give a good word, pray for them, minister to them, etc.
Peter says that when we live like this–avoiding sin and doing good–then we become an effective witness to the world, even though the world may attack and criticize us. And in the end, such lives cause people in the world to glorify God. Peter was obviously thinking of Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven (Matt. 5:16).
Let’s make a point to avoid sin and pursue good works, as individuals and as a church, in 2007.