persecution had come to most of them. Some m.ay have felt that God Himself had gone off and could not be reached by them. Peter seeks to encourage them. Fleshly lusts refers to things dealing with sexual immorality. This is what wars against the soul. Because they are so occupying they are defeating. The Spirit's desire is that we might have our "behavior seemly among the Gentiles." The purpose for this is pointed out in light of some ac cusations that were being brought against believers. Since they did not engage in the things that were fashionable for that day they were called "evildoers." How damaging this is to a person who is trying to do the right thing. But right is right even if nobody does it! Those who are wicked will be judged by God, we do not need to worry about that! The Bible tells us that we have only One to obey; God alone. People may call us "evildoers" and yet because of our godly lives they will have no way to confirm their false and exaggerated claims. Con sider Daniel when he was in cap tivity. The Hebrew children had been ordered to stop praying. Yet, they could not violate their con science. Because of such dedica tion they were criticized and threat ened with the penalty of death. So, in this exhortation to abstin ence Peter points out something of the importance of living in light of the Scriptures, and having a dis ciplined holy life. Next we see the commands of submission (2:13-3:7). We are to be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake. We see our relationship to the country in which we live. We are not to fol low the pattern of rebellion and
to be a structure giving the appear ance of one thing on the outside but something else on the inside. Such is never the case with God's construction. For those who do not believe, Christ is the Stone which the builders rejected and stumbled over. We are also linked or related to the witness of God as we find in verses 9 and 10. We are to show the world that we are related to God as an elect race (Isa. 43:20). We are a royal priesthood (Ex. 19:6). We are a holy nation and a peculiar people, or a people for God's own special possession. The purpose is that we might show forth the excellencies of God. In times past we were without hope and without God in the world. Yet, because of the things Christ has accomplished, we now have obtained mercy and grace. What a blessed hope is ours with the con fidence and assurance our Saviour brings. In this study we come to the sec ond section of Peter's first epistle. We have seen that every true born- again child of God must have a desire for the Word of God. We need a daily engagement with the Scriptures. We are an elect nation, a royal priesthood, a peculiar peo ple called out for God's own pos session that we might show His excellencies to all men. This sec ond section covers I Pet. 2:11-3:7. In verses 11 and 12 there is the exhortation to abstain from fleshly lusts. The reason for this is because we are sojourners and pilgrims. While a sojourner is one away from his native land a pilgrim is one away from his own people. Think of the loneliness and desper ation in such circumstance. Terrible Page 16
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