#DailyDevotion Remember, This Isn’t Our World
1 Peter 2:11-20 11Dear friends, I urge you, as guests and strangers in this world: Stay away from the desires of your body, because its appetites fight against the soul. 12Live a noble life among the people of the world, so that instead of accusing you of doing wrong, they may see the good you do and glorify God when He visits them.
Several very difficult things Peter is directing us to live and do as disciples of Christ. The first is to live as guest and strangers in this world. This present age doesn’t belong to us. It is headed to swift destruction. It is so easy though to get caught up in politics. It’s not that we can’t get involved at all in politics. We should do so solely on the point of view of having a certain amount of morality in our city, county, state and country. We should in no way think we will change anyone’s heart by any law we may get passed. Politics is dealing with the ways of this world and run by this world’s rules (or lack thereof). We should not put our hope in politicians, the legal system, or anything else that belongs to this world. You will be disappointed. Trust not in princes, the strength of horse or the legs of a man. Politicians will use you and discard you when you are no longer useful to them. You should probably reciprocate.
Another way we are to live as guests and strangers in this world is to curb the desires of our bodies, the flesh. The flesh is opposed to the Spirit and its appetites fight against your soul. So we must drink fluids. We are called not to get drunk. If you get drunk when you drink alcohol, don’t drink alcohol. Sex is good, but it is only good when engaged between a husband and a wife. It may feel good outside that relations (including just by yourself) but that is an abuse of the gift the world wants you to join themselves in. But remember Sodom and Gomorrah, they are an example to us of what the LORD will do to those who let their appetites rule them. We eat. We are not to be gluttons though. We eat to live not live to eat. Pride, concerns about our good looks, anger, and the like all wage war against our souls. We should do our best to resist them.
Finally we are called to live noble lives among the people of the world. What does it mean to live a noble life for a Christian that unbelievers will praise God for the good you do when He visits them? We are called to live our lives of love and mercy. That is we are to be hospitable. We should take care of the poor in our midst. We should acknowledge the dignity of the image of God each person was created in. We are called to be here for this sick and the needy. We do this not for ourselves and for our praise but so men praise God. As much as it is possible we are good citizens or rather temporary residents where we live, obeying the laws insofar as they don’t negate God’s laws. Except when the pagans are just railing against the word of God which you hold in your heart and speak to others, no one should curse God because of your behavior.
I know, I know, lots of law here. But it is not impossible law if you have the Holy Spirit. Even pagans have those among them whom they think of as noble. Certainly we can do better than rank pagans. We do this because we are not of this world. We belong to Jesus. We look forward to the New Heavens and New Earth where we will reign with Christ Jesus and rest in him. We do these things because we believe this is how God is towards us in Jesus Christ. Such faith will manifest this life in this age and world.
Merciful God and Father, so move us by your Holy Spirit that we live good and noble lives among the people of this world that they praise your name and the name of your Son Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.