1 Peter 2:11-12
Warfare & Witness: The Godly Christian Life
INTRO
One of my favorite documents from early Church history is called “The Epistle to Diognetus.” The letter was written in the early 100’s AD, probably around 130. That puts its writing not even a century after the death of Christ, and a generation or two after the writing of much of the New Testament as we have it.
The document is a letter written by an anonymous person, who says that he is a “disciple of the Apostles,” written to a man named Diognetus. Hardly anything is known of this Diognetus, but it is expected that he was the tutor to Marcus Aurelius, who would later become the Emperor to Rome. Nevertheless, we know that this Diognetus had heard of this new movement known as Christianity, and was trying to find out what it was all about.
The letter starts out:
To His Excellency, Diognetus: I understand, sir, that you are really interested in learning about the religion of the Christians, and that you are making an accurate and careful investigation of the subject. You want to know, for instance, what God they believe in and how they worship him, while at the same time they disregard the world and look down on death…
The writer of the letter goes on and lays out many of the distinctives of Christianity, including doctrine and practices. But in the fifth chapter of the letter, he starts to discuss the conduct of these early Christians, and what separated them from the rest of the world. He says:
Christians cannot be distinguished from the rest of the human race by country or language or customs. 2They do not live in cities of their own; they do not use a peculiar form of speech; they do not follow an eccentric manner of life. 3This doctrine of theirs has not been discovered by the ingenuity or deep thought of inquisitive men, nor do they put forward a merely human teaching, as some people do. 4Yet, although they live in Greek and barbarian cities alike, as each man's lot has been cast, and follow the customs of the country in clothing and food and other matters of daily living, at the same time they give proof of the remarkable and admittedly extraordinary constitution of their own commonwealth…
TRANSITION
That is what we are going to talk about this morning. What does it look like to live as a Christian? As that letter said of these early Christians, what does it look like to live according to “an extraordinary constitution of our own commonwealth?”
Turn with me to 1 Peter 2:11-12, as we look at 2 aspects of the godly Christian life.
READ TEXT
Now before we get into the specifics of our text this morning, it is important to note that this text is addressed to Christians.
After discussing “A Tale of Two Peoples” last week, where we looked at the first group, the church, who comes to Christ, and a second group who rejects him, now in this text, Peter enters us into a new section in the book…a section that examines what it looks like for Christians to live life as sojourners, or visitors, in this world.
And he starts the section with this title, Beloved. By using this word, Peter is clearly talking to believers. So if you are not a believer here this morning…I invite you to listen carefully, listen to what Christianity is all about. Forget your preconceived notions, your bad experiences…and let the Word of God inform you what Christianity is all about. But it is only by coming to Christ for salvation that these words of 1 Peter 2:11-12 can apply to your life.
So what are these two aspects to the Godly Christian Life?
#! THE CHRISTIAN LIFE INVOLVES WARFARE (v.11)
So, after addressing them as Beloved, Peter says, “I urge you as sojourners and exiles
Let’s stop there for just a minute and note a couple things about his address.
A. First, he says, I urge you.
This is strong language. What he’s about to tell them isn’t something he’s encouraging them toward, or something he’s telling them, “Hey guys, this is a good idea…” No, he says I URGE YOU!
This word could be translated a variety of ways. “Urge,” “Entreat,” “Implore,” “Urge strongly,” etc.
The word is often used when the Apostles would urge people to respond to the Gospel.
The point here, then, is that what Peter’s telling these beloved Christians that he’s writing to is: “Listen up! This is important. I’m urging you strongly to heed what I’m about to say!”
B. Second, before he gets to what he’s urging them to do, he refers to them as sojourners and exiles (or if you’re using the NASB, aliens and strangers)
What do these terms mean? Why is Peter referring to them as sojourners and exiles?
Peter is reminding these beloved Christians that they are not truly members of the world’s society. Their true residence is in heaven. As Paul says in Phil 3:20 - “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” The writer of Hebrews reminded Christians in Hebrews 13:14 - “for here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.”
Church, this is what each of us are as Christians. We are sojourners and exiles in this world. We are aliens and strangers. We live here. We work here. But our ultimate allegiance is not to this world. Our ultimate citizenship is not in this world. It is in heaven.
We MUST keep this on the forefront of our minds. We must not get so caught up in the things and cares of this world that we forget to whom we truly belong, and to where our ultimate citizenship lies.
As Calvin said, “The children of God, wherever they may be, are only guests in this world.”
So Peter’s urging them as sojourners and exiles. What is he urging them to do?
He says, “I urge you to abstain from the passions of the flesh which wage war against your soul.”
To understand the fulness of what Peter’s urging here, let’s ask 3 questions about this verse:
(1) What are these “passions of the flesh”?
In order to get what Peter means by this phrase passion of the flesh, let’s look at 3 parallel texts in the NT that give us a list of some examples of these passions of the flesh:
Galatians 5:19-21 - “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these…”
So Paul lists 14 examples here in these 3 verses that fall under the “works of the flesh,” or the “passions of the flesh.”
We are tempted, I think, to think primarily in terms of sexual sin and immorality when we see this phrase passions of the flesh….and it is that, for sure. But it’s not just that. Paul includes things like jealousy, anger, and envy right along with sexual immorality.
Colossians 3:5-10 - “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away [and now he starts listing more examples] : anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
So we see in this text many of the same things we saw in Galatians, along with a few extra examples.
Matthew 15:19 - “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.”
So these passions of the flesh include all kinds of things…all kinds of sin…that are within us, that tempt us, that lead us to satisfy and gratify our fleshly longings and desires and forsake God.
(2) What does Peter tell us to do to these passions of the flesh?
He tells us to abstain from them. Another way to translate this would be to avoid contact with.
He doesn’t say, “try to control these things.” He doesn’t say, “try to handle these things as best you can.” No, he says, KEEP AWAY FROM THEM!!! Abstain from the passions of the flesh!
There is an action that you must do as a believer to these passions of the flesh. You cannot be passive. If you’re passive, sin will overtake you. You must act! You must fight. You must abstain!
Why? Well let’s look at our 3rd question:
(3) What are these passions of the flesh trying to do?
Look at the next phrase…which wage war against your soul.
In short: THEY ARE TRYING TO KILL YOU! OVERTAKE YOU! DESTROY YOU!
Sin is not just some passive thing in you that’s trying to lure you to something enticing that’s not really that bad. Sin is waging war against your soul!
Peter uses strong, vivid, language here to convey his point forcefully.
Regarding this text, John MacArthur puts it well by saying:
“Fleshly lusts are personified as if they were an army of rebels or guerrillas who incessantly search out and try to destroy the Christian’s joy, peace, and uselessness.”
And in a lengthy quote that I think will be helpful to read with you, the famous Puritan John Owen says, “Enemies in war are restless, pressing, and persistent; so is the law of sin. Does it set upon the soul? Cast off its motions; it returns again. Rebuke them by the power of grace; they withdraw for a while, and return again. Set before them the cross of Christ; they do as those that came to take him — at sight of him they went backwards and fell unto the ground, but they arose again and laid hands on him – sin gives place for a season, but returns and presses on the soul again. Mind it of the love of God in Christ; thought it be stricken, yet it gives not over. Present hell-fire unto it; it rushes into the midst of those flames. Reproach it with its folly and madness; it knows no shame, but presses on still…and by this persistence it wearies and wears out the soul…There is nothing more marvelous nor dreadful in the working of sin than this of its persistence.” (Owen, The Power and Efficacy of Indwelling Sin, 280-281).
Yes. Sin is persistent. Sin is powerful. And these passions of the flesh, are as Peter says, waging war against your soul.
So let’s summarize what’s happening here in the Christian’s soul with sin:
You have sinful passions of the flesh
Those sinful passions are waging war against your soul…they’re trying to destroy you.
Your response? Abstain! Make war back! Fight to protect your soul!
Perhaps an example of what this looks like would be beneficial
Let’s take one of the specific fleshly passions from the lists we read above. One stuck out to me, that we often tend to overlook: ENVY/JEALOUSY/COVETOUSNESS.
(ILL) A 2012 article that appeared in the magazine The Atlantic observed that over the past 100 years we have often turned yesterday’s luxury products into today’s necessities.
In 1900, less than 10% of families owned a stove or had access to electricity or phones
In 1915, less than 10% of families owned a car
In 1930, less than 10% of families owned a refrigerator or clothes washer
In 1945, less than 10% of families owned a clothes dryer or air-conditioning.
In 1960, less than 10% of families owned a dishwasher or color TV
In 1975, less than 10% of families owned a microwave
In 1990, less than 10% of families had a cell phone or internet access.
What’s the point? The article concluded by noting: “Today, at least 90% of the country has a stove, electricity, car, fridge, clothes washer, air-conditioning, color TV, microwave, and cell phone. They make our lives better. They might even make us happier. But they are never enough.”
Not the last phrase in that quote: But they are never enough.
That’s it, right there. That’s the hook that envy has in our life. That’s how envy/jealous/covetousness wages war against our soul.
You get that new car…it’s perfect for what you need. It serves you wonderfully. You love it…
UNTIL —> Your friend gets a nicer car. A newer one. One with more bells and whistles.
Or use the example of a new phone, TV, job, house, etc.
We are flooded by the sin of envy that says what we have is not enough…we need more!
And as we are flooded by this sin, it starts to make us doubt God’s goodness and gracious provision for us.
What we were content and satisfied with, and even thanked God for because we knew it came from Him and He provided for us…
Well now, we need more. We want more. Our passions war within us and seek to destroy us by convincing us that what God gave us is not enough.
Peter says…abstain from that! Don’t come close to it. Don’t let your mind go there. Don’t give your mind even one second to ask the question, “What if…?”
What if I had that car?
What if I lived in this house?
What if I got this raise or made that amount of money?
It’s not easy. It takes effort. It takes action. Put it to death! Abstain from it! Don’t go near it! Because it’s making war against your soul
That’ just one example, with one sin. There are dozens more. Fill in the blank. Fill in the sin that floods your soul.
(ILL) Though we may have some theological differences with the popular evangelist from the 1900s, Billy Sunday, nevertheless his attitude toward sin is something for us to model, and that matches what Peter calls us to in this text. He says,
“Listen, I’m against sin. I’ll kick it as long as I’ve got a foot. I’ll fight it as long as I’ve got a fist. I’ll butt it as long as I’ve got a head. And I’ll bite it as long as I’ve got a tooth. And when I’m old, fistless, footless, and toothless, I’ll gum it till I go home to glory and it goes home to perdition.”
Listen, church, God speaks to you today, through His word, just as much as he spoke to these early Christians through Peter: I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain form the passions of the flesh which wage war against your soul.
How do you need to obey this text today? Do not wait. Fight!
#2 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE INVOLVES WITNESS (v.12)
In the second verse of the passage that we’re going to look at this morning, we see that the Christian life involves a witness.
As we fight sin…as we abstain from the passions of the flesh (v.11), we live lives of witness for the Gospel of Christ. That’s what Peter says in v.12.
Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable
Let’s talk about this phrase first.
Peter is still talking to this same group, these beloved Christians.
He commands them, and commands us: keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable.
Conduct - Our outward, visible actions. Our lives as people see it.
among the Gentiles - Literally, “among the nations”
He’s talking here about unbelievers.
So he says, as Christians, keep your conduct among unbelievers honorable.
honorable - Greek word “kalen” —> Can be translated by at least six other English words — lovely, fine, winsome, gracious, fair to look at, and noble.
This words conveys the loveliest kind of visible goodness.
So Peter says to these Christians, and to us, “Make sure that when unbelievers look at your life, they see a life that’s marked by excellence, goodness, honor…
Why?
So that - Anytime we see this word, we’re entering into the purpose for something. Do this…so that..
So that when they speak against you as evildoers they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
Notice that word right after the purpose phrase, “so that”…he says when
WHEN they speak against you as evildoers.
Guess what: It’s going to happen!
The unbelieving world is on constant watch of Christian’s lives. They are looking for a reason to disbelieve and discredit Christianity.
Calvin said, “it is no time for living listlessly and scarcely, when they sharply watch in order to find out whatever we do amiss.”
Whether you realize it or not…
your unbelieving coworkers are looking at how you respond at work to the boss who’s treating you unfairly.
Your unbelieving classmates are looking at whether or not you are one of the ones who cheat on this week’s homework assignment.
Your unbelieving family members are looking at how you respond to your child’s temper tantrum
Your unbelieving children are looking at how you treat each other as husband and wife…
What will they see? They ARE looking! What will they see?
Hopefully, they will see you responding biblically. They will see you responding at work with patience. They will see you responding in the classroom with honesty.
Responding to your children with sternness, as well as compassion. Responding to your husband with submissiveness. To your wife with sacrifice.
But even if this is what they see, that does not mean that they will necessarily accept that. Sometimes, they will still speak against you as evildoers. You may be labeled a bigot, hateful, a prude, and so on. They won’t get it at first. It doesn’t make sense to them. Why are you responding like that? Why are you treating them like that?
There has to be something wrong with you. So they speak against you as evildoers.
But you keep on. You keep on living lives submitting to the Word of God and honoring Him in your actions? Why?
So that when they speak against you as evildoers they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
Hopefully, as they see your good deeds, your godly actions, they turn from speaking against you as evildoers to becoming curious. They’ll notice that you’re not like them. And they’ll become curious as to what makes that difference. And that turns into an opportunity to tell them about your Savior…to give them a reason for the hope that is within you!
MacArthur puts it well when he says,
“Do you see how imperative it is that we live godly lives? We want unbelievers to examine us. They come initially to criticize, but if our behavior is excellent, the criticism of some might turn to curiosity. And if that curiosity turns to conversion, they’ll glorify God because of their salvation. Thus we’ve done our part in bringing God glory. You lead people to the credibility of Christianity and ultimately to conversion by the virtue of your life. So stay away from fleshly lusts and maintain excellent behavior.”
(MacArthur, Different by Design)
CONCLUSION
That is precisely what Peter is telling us here this morning in our text. The Godly Christian life is a life of warfare against sin and witness to an unbelieving world. Abstain from the passions of your flesh! Fight. Make war with your sin. And as you do this, continue to live lives that are honorable among the unbelieving world. Invite the scrutiny. Live lives that can stand up to such scrutiny. Cause them to ask you why you’re different. And as you do, be ready to give an answer. As Peter will tell us later on: Be read to give an answer for the hope that you have, so that they may glorify God by their salvation at the day of Judgment.
We now to the Letter that was written to Diognetus. As the author continued to explain what the lives of these early Christians looked like, he describes something remarkably similar to what Pete commands here in this passage
5They live in their own countries, but only as aliens. They have a share in everything as citizens, and endure everything as foreigners. Every foreign land is their fatherland, and yet for them every fatherland is a foreign land.
8It is true that they are "in the flesh," but they do not live "according to the flesh.”
9They busy themselves on earth, but their citizenship is in heaven.
10They obey the established laws, but in their own lives they go far beyond what the laws require.
11They love all men, and by all men are persecuted.
12They are unknown, and still they are condemned; they are put to death, and yet they are brought to life.
13They are poor, and yet they make many rich; they are completely destitute, and yet they enjoy complete abundance.
14They are dishonored, and in their very dishonor are glorified; they are defamed, and are vindicated.
15They are reviled, and yet they bless; when they are affronted, they still pay due respect.
16When they do good, they are punished as evildoers; undergoing punishment, they rejoice because they are brought to life.
17They are treated by the Jews as foreigners and enemies, and are hunted down by the Greeks; and all the time those who hate them find it impossible to justify their enmity
If someone were to write about what the life of a Christian looks like by looking at Grace Bible Church, by looking at the individual lives of the people that make up Grace Bible Church, may it be similar to this letter that was written to Diognetus. May it be said that the life of a Christian is marked by warfare against sin and a witness of godly character to an unbelieving world.
