"THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER"
A Plea To Pilgrims (2:11-12)
Having said that as Christians we are "a chosen generation"; "a royal priesthood"; "a holy nation"; God's "own special people"; Peter makes a heart-felt plea concerning our conduct before those in the world - 1 Pe 2:11-12 “Beloved, I beseech you as sojourners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; having your behavior seemly among the Gentiles; that, wherein they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works, which they behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.” As we consider this "plea to pilgrims", remember that Peter is speaking by inspiration; in other words, it is actually GOD who is making this plea!
Before we examine the plea itself, let's notice some things mentioned in the passage that serve as the basis of the plea. You are "beloved". Beloved by whom? By Peter, of course - 1 Pe 2:12; also 1 Pe 4:12 “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial among you, which cometh upon you to prove you, as though a strange thing happened unto you:”. By Paul, James, John, & Jude, all of whom used this same term of endearment. But most of all, we are beloved of God and Jesus! - Ro 1:7 “To all that are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”; Co 3:12 “Put on therefore, as God’s elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering;”. It is out of such human and divine love that this plea is made.
You are "sojourners and pilgrims". You have not yet reached your heavenly home. As we will see later, failure to heed the plea will mean you will never reach it! In view of that real possibility, we find this plea made even in the form of "begging"!
You are engaged in warfare. A war in which "fleshly lusts" wage war against the "soul". The outcome of this "war" will determine whether or not we will reach our heavenly home.
You are being observed by others. Some of which who often speak evil of you (even as they did of Christ). But by heeding this plea, it is possible to cause those very ones who speak evil of you to glorify God in "the day of visitation". This "day of visitation" might refer to the Day of Judgment. In my opinion, it refers to the "day" when God's grace is shown through a presentation of the gospel to them - Lk 19:44 “and shall dash thee to the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.” In either case, we have an opportunity to bring glory to God by the way we heed this plea.
In view of these four reasons, then, God through Peter is making a heart-felt plea. What is this plea? It contains two parts, which we shall now look at closely. First, the plea begs us to "abstain from fleshly lust". The word "abstain" means "to hold one's self constantly back". From what are we to abstain? "Fleshly lusts", some of which are defined by Paul in Ga 5:19-21 “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, parties, envyings, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; of which I forewarn you, even as I did forewarn you, that they who practise such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” Notice that they involve more than just "sexual" sins (such as fornication). They also include sins of the "emotions" (hatred, outbursts of wrath, jealousies, envy, etc.). Why must we "hold ourselves constantly back" from these things?According to Peter, they "wage war against the soul". According to Paul, they can keep us out of the kingdom of God! - see Ga 5:21. So if we want to succeed in our spiritual "pilgrimage" and reach our heavenly destination, we must heed this "plea to pilgrims"! How can one abstain from fleshly lusts? In his epistles, Paul explains how. Keep your mind on the things of the Spirit, and not on the things of the flesh - Ro 8:5-6 “For they that are after the flesh mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For the mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace:”. Grow in Christ, and don't provide opportunities for the fulfillment of fleshly lusts - Ro 13:13-14 “Let us walk becomingly, as in the day; not in revelling and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and jealousy. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” Should such opportunities arise, flee them (remember Joseph and Potiphar's wife?), and pursue after that which is good - 2 Ti 2:22 “But flee youthful lusts, and follow after righteousness, faith, love, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
By following Paul's advice, we can win the "war" between the flesh and soul, and successfully complete our pilgrimage!
But abstaining from fleshly lusts is not the only thing expected of God's pilgrims. The plea also begs us to "have Honorable conduct". The word "honorable" ("honest", KJV) in the Greek is "kalos". It means that which is good, beautiful, harmonious, and lovely. In other words, our conduct is to be something beautiful and refreshing to behold. We can have conduct that is "honorable". If on the one hand, we abstain from "fleshly lusts", and on the other hand, we do "good works" ("good" is the same word in the Greek as "honorable"). We have seen what are "fleshly lusts", what "good works" can we do that are beautiful to behold? We can see to the needs of those who are poor, fatherless, widowed, sick, and otherwise afflicted - Ja 1:27 “Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”
We can demonstrate love and hospitality to brethren, friends, neighbors, even strangers - He 13:1-3 “Let love of the brethren continue. Forget not to show love unto strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; them that are ill-treated, as being yourselves also in the body.”
We can react kindly to those who despise us, speak evil of us, and mistreat us - Lk 6:27-31 “But I say unto you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, bless them that curse you, pray for them that despitefully use you. To him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and from him that taketh away thy cloak withhold not thy coat also. Give to every one that asketh thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.” The effect of such conduct is that it will likely prompt others to glorify God! As Jesus taught us in Mt 5:16 “Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Even those who at the present may speak against us as evildoers! - 1 Pe 2:12 “having your behavior seemly among the Gentiles; that, wherein they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works, which they behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”
By heeding this "plea to pilgrims" as found in 1 Pe 2:11-12, it is possible to accomplish several things at the same time. We can save ourselves. We can glorify God. We might even help save those who presently speak evil of us! As the "people of God" who have "obtained mercy" (1 Pe 2:10), can we do any less? Abstain, then, from those fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul!Conduct yourselves, then, in ways that are honorable and a thing of beauty for others to behold! -- In so doing, you will ensure the successful completion of your spiritual pilgrimage!
Speaking of the mercy of God, have you received the mercy that comes through the "washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit"? - cf. Ti 3:4-7
