Last month we saw the dramatic "before and after" given in 1 Peter 2v9-10... Through Jesus Christ, the world is divided into darkness and light, those who are “not a people” and those who are “God’s people," those who have “not received mercy” and those who “have received mercy."
And now it is war.
Naturally we expect the war to be between these two groups, a showdown between God’s chosen people and the nations who still live in darkness. But this is not the war that Peter has in mind.
“Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul” (1 Peter 2v11).
There is a battle to be fought. But it is not "us versus them." It is us versus our sinful desires. It is our new, holy self in Christ versus the passions of the flesh.
The desires of the flesh – your natural desires – are waging war against your soul. They seek to turn you away from Jesus Christ. They attempt to drag you back into the darkness. They want you to live for self rather than be a holy priesthood displaying the glories of God to the world around.
Peter has already urged us to take seriously our identity as God’s obedient children, contrasting the evil desires we had when we lived in ignorance with our calling to be holy, as God is holy (1v14-16).
This war is raging against your soul. Are you active in the battle or are you in danger of being taken a prisoner of war? Perhaps you think you are in a state of peace. If so, the enemy is already gaining ground.
The NIV translation uses the word “sinful” or “evil” to describe these desires. This is a true interpretation, but Peter simply refers to “passions” or “desires” of the flesh, assuming that these are sinful or evil. What a contrast with our culture that says “follow your dreams," “be true to yourself,” “express the real you that is inside” and more!
What a strange society that – unlike most cultures historically, even most non-Christian cultures – denies the need to master our self, to gain freedom by wrestling our desires into submission through the exercise of self-control.
Christians are foreigners and exiles
It is a strange society. So step one in the battle is to become strange to society. Recognise that we who follow Jesus Christ are “foreigners and exiles” in this world.
We are strangers even in our home culture because our true culture is that formed in Jesus Christ and His church. We are His people, God’s holy nation, at war with the darkness.
"Instead of being alert to hints of wokeness in our leaders, seek to be extra alert to hints of indulgence or pride in your own heart."
This is a culture war – and one we fight within ourselves. This culture war is not about positioning ourselves on social media. It is about prayerful resistance to the desires of our own flesh.
Instead of being alert to hints of wokeness in our leaders, seek to be extra alert to hints of indulgence or pride in your own heart. Then take action! Resist! Take up the sword of the Spirit and slay the selfishness! Be active in battle by abstaining from these desires.
A war is being waged within you and against you. It is time to join the fight. Abstain from the passions and desires of your flesh.
How would you characterise a Christian?
Every preacher should love 1 Peter 3v8. The verse begins, “Finally”, but he is only half-way through chapter three: you …