May 29
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KEEP AWAY FROM FLESHLY LUSTS
11 Beloved, I urge you as foreigners and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul. 12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God on the day of visitation. – 1 Peter 2:11-12
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In this letter, Peter cautions us about our flesh. Because of the fall of our first parents, Adam and Eve, it is very easy to be led by our inclinations. In these passages, Peter reminds all believers that we are foreigners and strangers in this world. As believers, we are expected to be set apart from this world. Even though we live physically in this world, every believer is warned not to live for the comforts and pleasures of this materialistic world. In verse 11, Peter focuses on abstaining from fleshly lusts. What are fleshly lusts? They are the cravings of our physical bodies. They are things that lead us away from God. Anything that keeps us out of the road of righteousness is coming from human desires that wage war against the soul.
In verse 12, Peter gives all the believers wise advice so they can abstain from fleshly lust. He tells them to keep their conducts exceptional as they are with the Gentiles so that when these Gentiles defame them as evildoers, they may be able to recognize God through their demeanor.
It is a real challenge for all of us to keep away from our flesh. It is inside us, constantly and unless we have found Jesus, we won’t be able to fight this pervasive evil inside us. Paul explains very clearly in Galatians 5:17 that the sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. If we do not know Jesus, we will never be able to do anything good because our flesh is naturally evil. This is the reason why our heavenly Father gave his only begotten Son Jesus so we can be able to receive his grace and fight our flesh. Peter constantly reminds us to be able to live in God’s grace and mercy so we can bring back all the glory to our heavenly Father.
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REFLECTION
• How can we constantly keep away from fleshly lust?
• Why do many people think that they can actually fight their natural tendencies to be a slave to their lustful desires?