based on the Love God Greatly Study, Triumph over Trials / w2d3
THE JOURNEY (SCRIPTURE AND OBSERVATION)
Scripture: 1 Peter 2:11-12 and SOAP: verses11-12
Dear friends, I urge you as foreigners and exiles to keep away from fleshly desires that do battle against the soul, 12 and maintain good conduct among the non-Christians, so that though they now malign you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God when he appears.
1 Peter 2:11-12
Have you ever wondered if what you do matters? Let me clarify, I’m not necessarily talking about vocation but rather the conduct of your life. Your words, actions, reactions, thoughts, behavior, choices, activities – do they matter? God makes it crystal clear through Peter that these things most certainly matter. It isn’t a grey area of the Christian life. It is black and white; our conduct matters greatly! Translation after translation warns, urges, and even begs believers to maintain good conduct or, as some translations say – honorable behavior- either way – the way we live matters; and I dare say from Peter’s words that the way we live can have either a good or adverse reaction upon the unbelievers who are watching.
Peter wasn’t concerned here about how other believers saw us or judged us. Instead, his specific and expressed concern was for the “non-Christians” or “unbelieving neighbors.” He explains that while they may malign or accuse believers of being evildoers they may also see the good and honorable behavior of the believer and glorify God when He appears. I love the way bibleref.com summarizes it: “Our good works will attract unbelievers to our Father.” I’m not sure there’s a better reason than this for committing to and maintaining good and honorable behavior. From the things we think to the things we do and say may we speak and live in alliance with God.
LIVING THE JOURNEY (APPLICATION)
- We are to avoid worldly desires and abstain from anything that does not align with God’s will for us in Christ Jesus.
- We cannot serve man and God, for we will choose one over the other— likewise, we cannot serve our fleshly/worldly pleasures and God.
- We are to live as representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. Colossians 3:17
- We are to be salt and light in this tasteless world of spiritual darkness. Matthew 5:13-14
- We are not to live to please man (Galatians 1:10 and Acts 5:29) but to glorify God in all we do and say, which will glorify God in the end, and that is our chief goal.
Question FOR THE JOURNEY
How can you navigate the tension of being in the world but not of it, living in a way that both honors God and authentically engages with those who don’t know Him yet?
PRAYER FOR THE JOURNEY
Father, we want to please You. We want to be salt and light in this world so that our unbelieving neighbors, friends, and family will see our good and honorable behavior and give You glory. We want to serve you and not our own desires for we know that we cannot serve two masters. We know that satan is working against us and we long for Your help to stand firm against his fiery darts and wicked schemes.
THE MORE WE KNOW
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Me From the Inside Out 