1 Peter 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
This passage teaches us that to be a citizen of Heaven is to have a certain standard of character. We are to live a righteous, godly life. There is to be in our hearts and our lives none of what the Bible calls fleshly lust. A child of God ought to be pure and clean as the driven snow.
There are certain things that war against the soul. The word for war here speaks of a strategy or a conspiracy. There is a conspiracy, born in Hell, that wars against your soul, the soul of your family, the soul of your church, and the soul of this nation. We are at war with unseen forces from the very pit of Hell. There is a battle, and to be prepared for the battle, we must be absolutely and totally clean. We must renounce and abstain from everything that is wrong and embrace everything that is right. This passage calls us to live such a pure, godly, clean, righteous, honest forthright life that, even grudgingly, those that hate you will have to admit that there is a difference.
Why is it important that Christ-followers have a high standard for character? What things of the world that would draw you away from Christ do you need to renounce? Resolve to pursue godly character, and then take practical steps to live in accordance with God’s will and eliminate ungodly things from your life.
This devotional was written by Pastor/teacher Adrian Rogers. The Copyright owner is Love Worth Finding. Used with written permission. You may contact lwf.org and be blessed directly and freely by Biblical teaching.
