1 Peter 2:1-12 Our Position In The World, Our Internal Struggles

I read a lot this morning about getting along with other Christians and being an effective witness to the world.  So much of that depends on how we keep corruption out of our own lives.  My commentary said:

 

“When Christians are growing in the Word, they are peacemakers, not troublemakers, and they promote the unity of the church …

 

 It is important that we, as God’s priests, maintain our separated position in this world.  We must not be isolated, because the world needs our influence and witness, but we must not permit the world to infect us or change us.  Separation is not isolation; it is contact without contamination….

 

God commanded them to put a “difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean,’ but they ignored the differences and disobeyed God …

 

Peter emphasized submission in the life of a believer … Submission does not mean slavery or subjugation but simply the recognition of God’s authority in our lives …

 

There is something deeper than obedience because of duty, and that is obedience because of devotion …

 

We are soldiers involved in a spiritual battle.  There are sinful desires that war against us and want to defeat us.  Our real battle is not with people around us, but with passions within us … If we yield to these sinful appetites, then we will start living like the unsaved around us and will become ineffective witnesses.”

 

Father, wise words and reminders today from the One who knows me better than I know myself.  Thanks for the heads-up, enabling me to have my defenses ready why attacks come.

 

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford