1 Peter 2 Part 5: Our Conduct as a Holy Nation
1 Peter 2:11-12 - We are on a narrow and difficult path but what a wonderful destination!
“Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.”
1 Peter 2:11-12 NASB1995
As I approached this devotional, I really struggled with an image that could convey the message that Peter is giving to us in these verses. I searched and searched and searched. Then it dawned on me (thank you, Holy Spirit) - Christians should have a compass that points to the “true north” of our beliefs, which is found in the Word of God. This helps us to keep our behavior excellent, regardless of what others think of us (more on that later). Another search on Unsplash found this very image, which is perfect (except for the map of Ohio in the background).
Peter urges the holy nation as “aliens and strangers” to abstain from fleshly lusts that wage war against the soul. What does it mean to be “aliens and strangers”? Let’s do some word analysis. In the context of this passage, the word “aliens” in the Greek is πάροικος or paroikos. There are several definitions, but the best one is “of Christians whose home is in heaven. In a similar vein, “strangers” comes from the Greek word παρεπίδημος or parepidemos. Again, the best definition is in the NT [a] metaphor in reference to heaven as the native country, [for] one who sojourns on earth.
I found a superb excerpt from Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan on Precept Austin about this sojourn on Earth that we believers are making:
All mankind are pilgrims; all are pressing through this world: the Christian willingly considers that his life is a journey, because he is seeking a better country; but the greater multitude are anxious to prevent the recollection, that time is a preparation for eternity, and, in consequence of this neglect, they shudder when approaching the brink of the grave, into which they are irresistibly plunged. Although perpetual examples warn them that suddenly, at a moment when they least expect the fatal catastrophe, it may befall them, still, as if infatuated, they make no inquiry of the Holy Oracles as to how they can escape the second death; but take the miserable counsel of some ‘worldlywise man,’ and seek a refuge in lies, which death will terribly sweep away; or they wholly neglect any preparation for so important and certain, if not sudden, an event. All are on the advance; time hurries on those whose pilgrimage is limited to the foul, but fascinating streets of the ‘city of destruction,’ to their eternal doom; while those whose anxious cries lead them to the Christian calling, press on in the narrow and difficult path that leads to the heavenly Jerusalem.
I’ve noticed a shift in my thinking in recent years, as my faith has grown and my life’s end is getting nearer. I think, a lot, of what it will be like in Heaven. I am justified by my belief in Jesus as my savior, so I will get to see it and worship my Lord! It occupies my thoughts more and more and makes the struggles of this life seem so remote and temporary. We are longing for a better or the best place!
Peter goes on this passage to advise believers to keep their behaviors excellent in front of “gentiles” (in our time, non-believers), so that when we are slandered by them, we are then seen by our good deeds and they offer praise to God. Back in the time that Peter wrote this, early Christians suffered under many misconceptions by the Roman pagans, as noted in this commentary by David Guzik in Enduring Word:
Christians were falsely accused of great crimes in the early church. Pagans said that at communion Christians ate the flesh and drank the blood of a baby in a cannibalistic ritual. They said that Christian “agape feasts” were wild orgies. They said that Christians were antisocial because they did not participate in society’s immoral entertainment. They said that Christians were atheists because they did not worship idols.
But over time, it was clear that Christians were not immoral people – and it was shown by their lives. “The striking fact of history is that by their lives the Christians actually did defeat the slanders of the heathen. In the early part of the third century Celsus made the most famous and the most systematic attack of all upon the Christians in which he accused them of ignorance and foolishness and superstition and all kinds of things – but never of immorality.” (William Barclay)
Sadly, this is probably no longer a viable option for Christians in this wicked and perverse age that we live in. We can demonstrate the fruits of the spirit and our love for others all day long by serving them, but the fact that we take the true Word of God as our foundation makes us immoral and evil in the eyes of many people today, including the media and our government. We should not submit to the fleshly lusts that are touted as “true freedom” and that obstinacy to jump on the sin bandwagon is called “unnatural” and “bigoted” and “hateful”.
Do we really care that those who defame Christian believers may suddenly see the light and praise God for our deeds? I don’t think it is going to happen anytime soon in this lifetime and we are to live only for His approval, but that does not excuse us from trying to reach others with the Good News, loving others and serving others. But perhaps at the time of the “visitation” (when Christ returns) then the full scope of what Christians have done will be seen and recognized by those that hated us. Visitation is an interesting word in the Greek - ἐπισκοπή or episkope. The best definition for this is: that act by which God looks into and searches out the ways, deeds character, of men, in order to adjudge them their lot accordingly, whether joyous or sad. We know as believers that we are not brought to the Great Throne Room judgment, as Jesus has interceded for us on the cross, but we are judged by our Lord for what we did with our salvation.
My next devotional examines a tough passage in 1 Peter 2:13-17 - Submission to Governing Authorities
Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:
Dear Lord - Please help me to keep on the narrow path in the progress I am making on my journey towards Heaven. Help me to love others, regardless of how they feel about me as a believer, and to serve others in your name. Amen.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Commentary from Enduring Word by David Guzik is used with written permission.