The Beautiful Life 1 Peter 2:11-12
I’ve been a follower of Jesus for many years now. That one decision to become a follower of Jesus has impacted most every other decision I’ve made in life. Who I married, how we chose to raise our children, where we have chosen to live, and what we have chosen to do with our lives; our abilities, our time, and our money–all of those decisions have all been shaped and guided by that one decision that Connie and I both made to become followers of Jesus.
I didn’t become a follower of Jesus because I systematically studied theology, doctrine, or church history. I didn’t become a follower of Jesus because I come from a Christian home. I didn’t become a follower of Jesus because I was threatened by the thought of spending eternity separated from God. I didn’t become a follower of Jesus because I had reached rock bottom and had no other direction to turn in life. I didn’t become a follower of Jesus because some preacher convinced me that Jesus was who He claimed to be. I became a follower of Jesus because of a beautiful life.
I knew about Jesus. How can you live in America and not know about Jesus? I had heard time and time again that He had been crucified and that He rose from the dead on the third day. I had heard that He did that for me, so that I might be forgiven for my sins, but to be quite honest it just never made any sense to me. Things did not begin to come into focus for me until I ran into a beautiful life. The beautiful life was not a pastor or priest, but a college kid that I spent a summer with after my senior year of high school. I didn’t run into the beautiful life while I was away at Bible school or church camp. I encountered the beautiful life early each morning and late each evening when we got together to work out for the upcoming football season in the fall.
John was a senior while I was a sophomore in high school. Seniors and sophomores don’t really mix and the lifestyles we were living at the time meant that we lived in two totally different worlds. Those two different worlds came together the summer after my senior year of high school, John’s sophomore year at Oklahoma State, when he asked me if I would work out with him that entire summer.
John was different, not weird, but different in a beautiful way. He wasn’t judgmental of me and my worldly ways. He was comfortable being who he was, even though I was very different from him in the way I had chosen to live my life. The very first morning we met together to work out he asked if he could pray for us? It was something I had never experienced before, but I said, “Sure.” He prayed the simplest prayer, thanking God for giving us strong bodies to be able to do what we were getting ready to do. He continued to pray for us throughout that entire summer, before each workout.
As each day unfolded I began to see something about John’s life that was so attractive, so beautifully different from my own life. John invited me to a Bible study he taught in the park to other college kids living in Duncan. By the end of the summer I had made the decision to become a follower of Jesus. I made that decision, not because I understood the Bible, doctrine, or theology, but because John told me the difference I saw in him was Jesus. John understood what Peter was telling the followers of Jesus living among a bunch of unbelievers in the Roman Empire, when Peter said, “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” (1 Peter 2:12 NIV)
During the many years since the summer that changed my life, I have seen how God can use a beautiful life, a life surrendered to living as Jesus lived, to change the lives of people who are searching for something more than this world has to offer. It has been my prayer this past week that you and I will hear this message from God’s Word this morning and the Holy Spirit will stir within us a desire to live a beautiful life like never before. Let’s read our Scripture for this morning found in 1 Peter 2:11-12.
11 Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. (1 Peter 2:11-12 NIV)
It is important for me to point out to you that these verses are a transition in Peter’s letter to the brothers and sisters living in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. Up to this point Peter has been laying out some very important theological truths that are indispensable for all of the followers of Jesus. He has been teaching them who they are in Christ, what they were before they came to be “chosen by God” and “given new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” He has taught them they are people on mission. They are no longer to simply live their lives however they want. He told them,
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9 NIV)
The verses we are taking a look at this morning transition us from the important theology of what God has done and leads us into the practical aspects of living out these truths in society. In the weeks to come we will see how the followers of Jesus are to live out their lives in relationship to the civil authorities, in the workplace, and in their homes. These lessons, this guidance, is as applicable for those of us who are followers of Jesus living in the 21st century as it was for the followers of Jesus who lived in the first century. Let’s take a look at verse 11.
11 Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. (1 Peter 2:11 NIV)
Peter pleads with his brothers and sisters in Christ, those who were “foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.” This is the second time Peter has referred to those living under the Roman Empire as “foreigners and exiles.” They may or may not have been literal foreigners and exiles, but spiritually, because of their allegiance to Jesus, they were outsiders, foreigners, and exiles just as are each and every one of us who are followers of Jesus and living in the United States are foreigners and exiles. Karen Jobes writes,
Because all Christians are citizens of God’s holy nation, they are to understand themselves as resident aliens and foreigners wherever they may be residing. (Jobes, Karen. 1 Peter. pg. 169)
Peter urges them to “abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.” There is a war going on. It is not a war between the followers of Jesus and society, but it is a war going on in the hearts and minds of the followers of Jesus against those desires that will destroy our souls. Peter wants them to be aware of the battle that is going on within each and every one of them. Before they became followers of Jesus they were just like their neighbors, living like their neighbors lived. A little later in Peter’s letter, in 1 Peter 4:3-5, he will remind them of this. Read it with me.
3 For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do-- living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. 4 They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. (1 Peter 4:3-4 NIV)
When we talk about “sinful desires” most people fixate on things like sexual immorality, drugs, and drunkenness. Maybe we do that because we have witnessed how destructive these sins have been in our own lives and the lives of those we love. God’s idea of sinful desires is much more broad, much more comprehensive. Take a look at Galatians 5:19-20 so you can get an idea of what I am talking about.
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21 NIV)
So, you can see that the sinful desires we are to fight against are much more deeply rooted, they have to do with the heart and mind, and not just the flesh. Hatred, discord, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissension or division, and envy are waging war against our souls just as much as sexual immorality, impurity, and drunkenness.
Before we became followers of Jesus there was no war to wage against these behaviors that seek to destroy us. As a matter of fact, we pursued these behaviors. They were what we were seeking for our enjoyment, for that elusive one thing we thought would make us happy, or for our attempts to get back at those who hurt us or that we simply didn’t like. We thought doing what we wanted would make us happy, but now that we are followers of Jesus we learn that it was some of what we desired that was destroying our souls. Dwight Moody once said, “I have more trouble with D.L. Moody than with any man I know. The man I see in the mirror each morning is my greatest impediment to holiness and godliness.” Isn’t that true of all of us? James put it this way.
13 When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. 16 Don't be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. (James 1:13-16 NIV)
We are enticed to give in and go with the flow. Whatever we think will make us happy, go for it! Before we surrendered our lives to Jesus and began to follow Him, this made perfect sense, but praise God our eyes have now been opened and we see the truth–that which we desired was destroying us. Selfish ambition will destroy my soul! Causing division among those in my community will destroy my soul! Sex is a beautiful gift from the Lord for those who are married, but giving in to sexual desires outside of the confines of marriage will destroy my soul! When I have disagreements with others, pouring gasoline on the fire and seeking to escalate the disagreement instead of seeking reconciliation will destroy my soul! Oh, there is a war being waged this very morning in the hearts and minds of God’s people and sadly, many of us are the generals who are leading the troops into destruction–we are destroying our own souls!
All of these behaviors I’ve shared with you are the ways of the world, but we are no longer to follow the ways of the world–we are to follow Jesus. Remember, we are now people who are on mission and our mission is to let His light shine so that others might come to know Jesus as well. Scott McKnight wrote,
Our text speaks, perhaps as much as any text, about Christians in society. The Christian is the one who is countercultural because he or she is out of step with trends and passions in culture. It is not this way because we are trying to be odd, we are odd because we are trying to be godly. Again, countercultural living is not the goal of the Christian, rather, countercultural living is the result of following Jesus Christ. Sometimes, in fact, this countercultural life is even out of step with the local churches where Christians are supposed to find their home and their patriots. (McKnight, Scott. The NIV Application Commentary: 1 Peter. pg. 140)
Following Jesus automatically and naturally sets us apart from our culture. We have a different set of values, a different purpose and ambition in life, and a unified desire to live in such a way that brings glory to God, attention to the One who gave His life for us, and blesses those He has placed in our lives. Let’s turn our attention to verse 12. Read it with me.
12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. (1 Peter 2:12 NIV)
Peter gives his friends a twofold strategy. One, they are to abstain from those behaviors that will destroy their soul. Second, they are to “Live such good lives among the pagans (unbelievers) that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” There are a couple of very important words I want us to understand. They will be so helpful to us as we try to learn what Peter means when he urges the believers to “live such good lives.” The first word is “Ἀναστροφή” (anastrophē), which means, “Conduct, behavior,” or “a way of life.” What does it mean to live a good life? You can ask ten different people and get ten different answers. We are not to give what we think is the best answer, but to seek a biblical answer to the question, “What does it mean to live a good life?” Let me show you a couple of places in God’s Word where this Greek word appears. Turn with me to Ephesians 4:22-23 and let’s read together.
22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:22-24 NIV)
We are “to put off our old self,” our old way of living life, and “to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” What does it mean to live a good life? It means to imitate God, to seek to live a righteous and holy life. Paul used the same word when he was writing to encourage a young pastor named Timothy. Turn to 1 Timothy 4:12 with me.
12 Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. (1 Timothy 4:12 NIV)
Timothy may have been young, but that was no excuse for him not to set an example for others. What kind of example was he to set? An example of goodness, kindness, and how to get along with others simply for the sake of being nice? That’s not bad, nothing wrong with being nice and getting along with others, but that is not what Paul was driving at. Paul wanted Timothy to set a Christlike example for others. Paul wanted Timothy’s life to point others to Jesus in the same way that John’s life pointed me to Jesus. The good life is the godly life, the life modeled after Jesus’ life. In Galatians, Paul contrasted the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit. What a dramatic contrast it is! Read along with me.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-25 NIV)
In a world fragmented and being torn apart by division, dissension, selfishness, rage, and the passionate pursuit of power–a daily lifestyle, a daily walk filled with the fruit of the Spirit will stand out like a diamond on black velvet.
This leads me to the second word I want to show you. The Greek word for “good” used here is the word, “καλός” (kalos), which means “good” or “beautiful in outward form.” William Barclay helps us understand the difference between two Greek words used for “good” when he writes,
‘Agathos’ simply describes a thing as good. ‘Kalos’ means that a thing is not only good but looks good; it has a winsome attractiveness about it. Real Christianity is a lovely thing. There are so many people who are good but with their goodness possess a streak of unlovely hardness.... ‘kalos’ means that in the goodness there is a quality of winsomeness which makes it lovely. When Jesus is described as the good shepherd, the word is ‘kalos.’ In him there is more than efficiency and more than fidelity; there is loveliness... ‘kalos’ describes a thing which is not only good but lovely. (Barclay, William. The Daily Study Bible)
It is not our great accomplishments, our intellectual superiority, or our powerful grasp of every chapter and verse of God’s Word that will catch the attention of a watching world, but it is our daily walk, a beautiful lifestyle filled with love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control–that is what will catch the eye of an unbelieving world. Miroslav Volf wrote,
‘Walk’ is the way the Christian community lives in the world. Wherever Christians find themselves–alone or with other believers–a Christian social difference is manifested there. Communities of those who are born anew and follow Christ live an alternative way of life within the political, ethnic, religious, and cultural institutions of the larger society. (Volf, Miroslav. Soft Difference: Theological Reflections on the Relation Between Church and Culture in 1 Peter)
The Roman Emperor Julian, reigned over the Roman Empire from 361-363 A.D. He was the nephew of Constantine the Great, who had converted to Christianity. Julian was no follower of Jesus and no fan of Christianity. His goal was to replace Christianity with the worship of the old pagan gods. Emperor Julian tried everything in his power to promote the pagan gods, but the people of the Roman Empire kept turning to the Christians. He wrote a letter describing his disgust with what he saw happening.
Atheism [i.e. Christian faith] has been specially advanced through the loving service rendered to strangers, and through their care for the burial of the dead. It is a scandal that there is not a single Jew who is a beggar, and that the godless Galileans care not only for their own poor but for ours as well; while those who belong to us look in vain for the help that we should render them. (Emperor Julian)
In the modern-day American Church we have somehow convinced ourselves that to make an impact on our society we have to pull out all of the stops and put on a show. We plan big events with the goal of gathering lots of people. We utilize the latest technology to catch the attention of those who aren’t interested in the simple message of the Gospel. We have a fascination and fixation on those things that are new and bigger and better than anything we’ve ever done before. It is so important for us to recognize that Peter was not calling those early followers of Jesus, or us, to create services, programs, or activities that were attractive. He was urging them, and us, to live lives that were attractive, lives that pointed others to Jesus.
I want you to notice, both those Peter was writing to and the followers of Jesus who were living under Julian’s reign were persecuted even though they were seeking to live a beautiful life among the unbelievers. This is important for us to remember because you need to know that if you choose to live the good life among unbelievers they are probably not going to throw you a parade. You will most likely be slandered, accused, mocked, and ridiculed. And if that happens, when that happens, you will be in good company because that is exactly what they did to Jesus.
I want to close with one more example of the good life lived in an antagonistic society so that it might encourage you and me to set our sights on living a beautiful life of surrender and service when we exit these doors today. In 587 B.C. those living in Jerusalem were invaded by the Babylonians. They would spend the next 70 years living as literal exiles and foreigners in a pagan land. God called the prophet Jeremiah to give them a message. We can find it in Jeremiah 29:4-7. Read it with me.
4 This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 "Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. 7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper." (Jeremiah 29:4-7 NIV)
What was God’s message to His people? Be a blessing to the people of Babylon. Pray for the people of Babylon. Seek the peace and prosperity of the city. And that is our calling this very morning. Be a blessing to the people on your block, in your apartment complex, in your neighborhood, in your city. Seek the peace and prosperity of this city where we serve as foreigners and exiles. This city is not our home, but it is our calling, it is the place where the Lord has planted us. And this too is God’s call upon this church family. We are to live a beautiful life before our neighbors. Lives that are filled with the grace, mercy, and kindness of our Lord and Savior. I can promise you that for some of them, not all of them, but some of them will see in you what I saw in John so many years ago. Jesus is at work when His people are letting His light shine.
Mike Hays
Britton Christian Church
922 NW 91st
OKC, OK. 73114
June 9, 2024
