Christian Conduct

Text: 1 Pet 2:11-17

  • Intro:
    • In 1 Pet 2:11-17, Peter instructs us as Christians on how to conduct ourselves. 
    • Now that we are saved, we are “strangers and pilgrims,” [1 Pet 2:11] in the earth. 
    • Therefore, we are “not of the world,” [Jn 17:16]. 
    • Yet we still live in the world. 
    • So, we must know how God expects us to live among those who are not his people.  
    • As Christians, we are to:
  • Abstain from fleshly lusts – 1 Pet 2:11 –
    • In the world, we all have fleshly lusts [1 Jn 2:16]. 
    • They “war against” our soul. 
    • They lust against and are contrary to the Spirit [Gal 5:17]. 
    • Therefore, we are to abstain from them.  That is, we must choose not to do whatever the flesh wants. 
    • Don’t make “provision for the flesh,” [Rom 13:14].
  • Have our conversation honest – 1 Pet 2:12 –
    • Our conversation is our conduct, our behavior. 
    • We are to “walk honestly,” [Rom 13:13]. 
    • That is, our conduct ought to be marked by integrity. 
    • We should adhere to a code of godly values. 
    • Of course, because the world is opposed to God, they don’t adhere to our values, at all. 
    • To them, we are “as evildoers,” when we don’t go along with their sin. 
    • Like Solomon said in Prov 29:27, we are an abomination to them. 
    • The world hates Christians [Jn 15:19]. 
    • Nevertheless, in the “day of visitation,” [Acts 15:14], when some receive the gospel and believe, they will glorify God for the good works that they behold in us. 
    • Consider Paul’s great change in attitude toward Christians after he got saved.
  • Submit to every ordinance of man – 1 Pet 2:13-14 –
    • Though we are saved, we are not above the laws of men. 
    • We are to be “subject unto the higher powers,” [Rom 13:1], as Peter said, “for the Lord’s sake.” 
    • In other words, when you obey the ordinances of man, you are obeying God.  
    • The only exception to this is when the law of man is directly opposed to the clear command of God, as in Acts 5:28-29.
    • Concerning the ordinances of man, “the king (is) supreme.” 
    • He sends “governors” to punish “the evildoers,” and to praise “them that do well.” 
  • With well doing put to silence foolish men – 1 Pet 2:15 –
    • “well doing” is the will of God.  It is not uncommon for men, who are ignorant of God, to bring accusations against Christians. 
    • Yet, when you do well, they have no legitimate accusation to bring against you [1 Pet 3:16-17]. 
    • And, thus, they are silenced. 
    • They brought false witnesses against Stephen [Acts 6:10-15]. 
    • The “well doing” of Jesus, Stephen and Paul has testified to this day; their false accusers have been silenced for nearly 2,000 years.
  • Not use our liberty for a cloke of maliciousness – 1 Pet 2:16 –
    • As Christians we have liberty [Gal 5:1]. 
    • Nevertheless, we are not to use our liberty as “a cloke of maliciousness.” 
    • That is, we are not to use our liberty to justify doing something that is sinful or unlawful. 
    • We are “the servants of God.” 
    • Today, there are Christians who are mixed up in sin and justify themselves because of their liberty.
  • Honour all men – 1 Pet 2:17 –
    • The trouble with people is that they want to “receive honour one of another,” [Jn 5:41-44]. 
    • Peter’s exhortation, Like Paul’s in Rom 13:7, is that we are to honour all men. 
    • Christians are to “each esteem other better than themselves,” [Phil 2:3].
  • Love the brotherhood – 1 Pet 2:17 –
    • This follows directly from the Lord’s command to his disciples to “love one another; as I have loved you,” [Jn 13:34]. 
    • It is important for us to remember what John said in 1 Jn 4:20, “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?”
  • Fear God – 1 Pet 2:17 –
    • This is perhaps the shortest sentence in the Bible.
    • Yet it is undoubtedly the most profound. 
    • The fear of God is seriously lacking among professing Christians today. 
    • Paul and Peter definitely understood the duty to fear God [Ecc 12:13]. 
    • Paul knew the terror of the Lord [2 Cor 5:11] and admonished us to “work out (our) own salvation with fear and trembling,” [Phil 2:12-13].
  • Honour the king – 1 Pet 2:17 –
    • The king reigning at the time Peter wrote this was Nero. 
    • Nero was very ruthless and very immoral. 
    • And he was responsible for Peter’s death. 
    • Nevertheless, Peter wrote, “Honour the king.” 
    • The reason is that we are to honor the office, because of its authority, regardless of the occupant.
  • Conclusion:
    • These are very clear instructions on our conduct. 
    •  Examine your own life to see whether you are living according to these demands. 
    • If not, make the corrections and get in line with God’s word.