A WAR TO AVOID
Peter 2:11-12 NKJV
11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, 12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.
The idea of avoiding war is a good one for mankind. Unfortunately, Jesus told us that in these days, we will see wars and rumors of wars. However, there is a personal war that we can avoid.
Peter, writing to Jewish believers, warned of fleshly lusts. Lust is not limited to sexual desires. Fleshly lusts are the strong desires of our flesh nature. And these strong desires are those things that do not pull us toward God. In the book of Galatians, Paul gives the most extensive lists of fleshly lusts. He starts with adultery and fornication but does not stop there. Included are hatred and idolatry, which is exalting something before God. Also making the list are contentions, wrath, selfish ambitions, envy, and drunkenness. Not a pretty list.
Peter instructs the church to avoid these fleshly desires because they war against the soul. He is appealing to the church as strangers and foreigners. In other words, Peter is saying these things are not to be in our lives because we are different. We are passing through this world as strangers. Our home is heaven, so we are foreigners here on earth. That is a different appeal. These fleshly lusts are not part of being a new creation. And in verse nine, Peter tells these believers that they are a unique people. He calls them a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. He reminds them that they, because of their faith in Christ, are a special people. A people who have been called to exhibit the praises of God, who called them out of darkness. In the light of being such a special group, a people of God, acting as strangers and foreigners makes more sense.
So, as a holy nation of God's people, avoid and abstain from these worldly fleshly desires. Because they are going to work against the soul. They are going to cause a major conflict in our inner life. In our hearts, we know what we should do and what we should not do. The more we avoid worldly desires, the weaker their grip on our lives. But the more we yield and give into them, the stronger they become. Whatever we feed gets stronger. So abstain from giving in to the strong pull of the flesh and avoid the war.
And connected with abstaining from these fleshly desires is the ability to live honorably in front of the Gentiles. Gentiles being the people without a relationship with God. Peter had a ministry to Jewish believers so they would understand the usage of the word Gentiles. Living honorably has the ability to reduce the impact of people speaking against us as being evil-doers. Hard to argue with people who are gracious, kind, loving, self-controlled, and unselfish. Living honorably and doing good is a good message to those without God. So much so that they will glorify Him in the day of visitation.
APPLICATION
Most all of us can look back at the pain we could have avoided had we not given into our fleshly desires. Because all of us deal with our flesh, I am in no condition to point fingers. But moving forward and avoiding the internal conflict is another good reason to think and pause before giving into our flesh. Peter telling us to abstain means we have the capacity to do just that. But we are the ones who will need to act on that truth. So abstain and avoid. It's a much better path.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to avoid and abstain from the desires that that war against my soul. I am Your chosen and special and part of Your holy nation. Help me live like a stranger to this world and a citizen of Your kingdom.