11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

Peter's Shift

Peter pivots the conversation with these sentences. Up to this point in his letter, he has focused on who we are. Before the church can stand firm in God's grace, before we can endure hostility for the faith, we must have an accurate understanding of our identity. We have been saved. We are being saved. We will be saved. We have the precious gospel message. We are meant to hope, pursue holiness, and love one another. We have received the cornerstone, Jesus, the one who stumbles many. We are God's chosen race, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation. We are his special people -- draped in his mercy, we are meant to declare his excellencies to our world. This is who Peter says we are. We must hear the apostolic word.

But now Peter is ready to exhort us. Make no mistake. He has not been buttering us up, telling us good things about ourselves so that he can finally tell us what to do. He has drilled down deep into our identity so that his exhortations will make sense to us. Everything he is going to ask us to do from this point forward makes sense because of who Christ has made us become. Every exhortation Peter writes is consistent with our new reality.

The two sentences we are going to think about today serve as a mission statement over the rest of the letter. It is a general exhortation that encapsulates all the specific exhortations that will follow. In this generalized opening instruction, Peter is going to give us a mindset to adopt (that of sojourners and exiles), tell us there is something we should avoid (the passions of the flesh), and something we must do (keep our conduct honorable to the unbelieving world).

But before contemplating each, we must see the goal. Why should we do what Peter tells us? What will happen if we do?

The Goal

12b so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

As Many Conversions As Possible

The goal, according to Peter, is that the unbelieving world will glorify God on the day of visitation (12). This is Peter's way of saying that he wants unbelievers to come to faith in Christ so that when he returns, it will be a day they praise and rejoice over God. When the day of visitation comes, Peter wants as many people as possible to be in the kingdom.

This goal and perspective can often become clouded in the church. It's not that we don't want as many as possible to know Jesus, but often this main goal is taken over by other goals. Soon, evangelism becomes a program in the church rather than the simple and everyday mission of the church. But this is who we are. This is why we are meant to live the way we do: so that more people can know Jesus.

In our last study, Peter called us up to a radical new identity. A chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation -- God's own special people. I remind you that each concept came from God's calling on ancient Israel. They were meant to live and operate in such a way that the nations would be drawn to God. They were to make the house of God a house of prayer for all nations. They were to be a light to the world. God had gathered them to Mount Sinai after they left Egypt. He had given them his law. He had invited them to live as his special people.

But ancient Israel struggled to fulfill this mission. Often, their sinful tendencies spoiled their witness. Peter, though, picks up God's original call for Israel and applies it to us. He urges us to live in a way that, even when they speak against us as evildoers, they can see our good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation (12).

Peter envisioned a threatened, marginalized, and small Christian community responding to hostility with good lives. Like Israel before us, we are small but chosen. God wants us to live out our ordinary lives for his glory.

In the modern church, we often think of attracting people to Christ through our events or church services. Everything -- the preaching, the music, the atmosphere -- must get better! But Peter isn't calling us to attractional services, programs, or activities. He is calling us to attractional lives -- attractional individuals, but more so attractional communities.

And Peter isn't making up this strategy. Jesus was the one who championed it to him.

Matthew 5:16 (ESV) — 16 Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Designed Life

Now, I hope we all know that good works are not sufficient by themselves to draw someone to Jesus. The gospel is a message, and messages must be spoken. Words must be used. Peter just told us last week that we are meant to declare God's excellencies (1 Peter 2:9). Later in his letter, he will tell us to make a defense to anyone who asks for a reason for the hope that is in us (1 Peter 3:15).

But we mustn't rush to speak the message without understanding that our lives also communicate the message. Our little church community, our gospel friendships, and our small groups are all meant to radiate God's goodness. We want to live a certain way because of Peter's goal (God's goal): as many conversions as possible. That as many people as possible would glorify God on the day of visitation.

So it seems worth asking the question: How would we live if we wanted people to come to Christ? Peter answers with three strategies. And I hope we can learn from each. I want people to know Jesus. Though I am not a natural evangelist, and I don't see myself gifted in that way, I know I must do the work of an evangelist. And I know Jesus is good. I want everyone to know him.

But I also know that only a small percentage of the people in our towns will ever attend a church gathering. Only a small segment of the population will become willing to go to a church's building. But a much larger percentage of people will know a believer. We might not be able to bring many people to church buildings, but we can bring the church to many people because believers are the church. Our lives can go. So how can this be done?

1. Adopt An Exile Mentality

11a Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles

Sojourners and Pilgrims

First, Peter tells us to adopt an exile mentality. He said, "Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles" (11). Sojourners live in tents. They borrow the land. They are transient. They have no home. Exiles are far from their true home. They know they are foreigners in a new place. They are strangers. They are borrowing home.

We shouldn't think Peter has abandoned our connection to the Old Testament saints at this point. Both of these titles were first used by Abraham. When his wife Sarah died, he needed to purchase a burial site for his family. He told the locals in Canaan at that time that he was merely a sojourner and an exile among them (Genesis 23:4).

So, connected to the saints of old, we also are sojourners, aliens, temporary residents, visiting strangers, foreigners who are far from home.

We've spent some time talking about this perspective already in our study of 1 Peter. We have called this whole series "The Grace of Exile." But an exile mentality is important for our witness. If we want to see as many conversions as possible, as many people as possible glorify God on the day of visitation, we must adopt an exile mentality. But what does this mean?

First, it means we know we are living in a place with different values and practices. Some of these values will be aligned with Scripture. Some won't. But the exile knows their value system is going to be at odds with the host culture at times. An exile mentality means we know we won't always be full participants in the customs of our host societies.

Second, it means we will work to build a good reputation for God's people. We will adopt a visitor mindset. We will try not to unnecessarily offend the host culture.

Third, it means we will always long for home. Believers know God is building a forever kingdom with a forever city. And though we are meant to bless the kingdoms and cities we occupy today, we must also keep an eye on the coming kingdom.

You see, this exile mentality will not last forever. The prophecies of Jeremiah illustrate this well for us. Israel had disobeyed God for a really long time, and Jeremiah told them God would send them to Babylon to live as exiles for seventy years. He told them God would bring them back from exile at the end of those seventy years.

Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV) — 11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

The plans God had for them? Snap them out of exile after the seventy years were up. Bring them back to his house. Restore them into full fellowship with him. End the exile.

And one day, our God will snatch us out of this exile, but right now, we are in it. We are meant to embrace it, just as God told those exiles to embrace it.

Jeremiah 29:7 (ESV) — 7 Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

2. Abstain From the Passions of the Flesh

11b abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.

Assaulted Always

After adopting an exile mindset, Peter tells us we must abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against our souls (11).

This statement from Peter might be alarming. Whether we like it or not, every believer is in a war, and this means every believer is meant to be a warrior. The war you are in is internal and continual: the passions of the flesh versus your soul.

The Greek word Paul used for "war" is a word that sounds similar to our English word "strategy." There is a long and strategic war being waged against our souls. The passions of my flesh, the remnant of my old nature within, are working hard to erode my inner person, my soul, the part of me that wants to walk with God.

We think about soul care as a good book, a long hike, or a warm bath. But Peter thinks we should see soul care as a war. When the good bodily appetites God has given to us are turned into sinful passions that go beyond all boundaries, our souls are impaired. When our broken bodies, influenced by the fall, desire things God never authored, and when we give in to those desires, our souls are impaired. And with a damaged soul, we will never proclaim God's excellencies or have an attractional witness to our world. We'll be so wrapped up in pursuits and perspectives and priorities that God has nothing to do with that Christ's influence on our lives will be unrecognizable. We must maintain our souls. Lives depend on it.

Think of it this way -- an elite warrior must maintain a baseline of physical fitness. He could be called upon at any moment, so his conditioning, strength, and perishable skills must be maintained. Without them, he is disadvantaged in the fight. Our souls must also be maintained. If we let ourselves get overrun by bodily passions, we will lose the fight.

I was talking with a woman recently who knew she did not have the spiritual or emotional maturity required to navigate modern social media. She saw it as (for her) as something waging war against her soul, so she protected herself against that weapon. For many, covetousness (things you never knew you needed), lust (images), gossip/slander (reading things which aren’t true), bitterness (at your husband because he isn’t like the guy on the screen), discontentment (with your own life), or lack of self-control (purchases), are fostered in online environments. Many of us know we must be more cautious than others in that area.

But what about you? How do the passions of the flesh bombard your soul? What spaces, digital or physical, do you feel the strongest temptation? What hours of the day are you weakest? When do you find yourself succumbing? These are questions we should ask to help us form the attractional community we are meant to be in Christ. It is attractive to find people willing to admit they don't have it all together, that they are weak, that they want to follow Jesus and his way, and that they need the help of others to resist temptation.

Abstain

The weapon Peter offers us against the passions of the flesh is abstinence: Abstain, he said, from the passions of the flesh (11). We live in an age where desires define us, an age of personal fulfillment, but Peter's counsel is good.

Jesus said his way is one that requires denial:

Matthew 16:24 (ESV) — 24 “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."

The reason abstinence is the answer is that our sinful desires are never fully satisfied. We cannot partake just enough to be satisfied. Instead, once we taste the forbidden fruit, we will want more. Again and again, we will damage our souls. Each moment we do not abstain adds fuel to the fire of our passions. Soon, the flame will rage out of control!

Jesus advocated for radical abstinence at times. He said if your eye or hand or foot causes you to sin, it should be removed (Matthew 5:27-30). He spoke in hyperbole, of course, not to mention, our bodies never cause sin. Sin comes from the heart. But what he meant is that radical decisions have to be made sometimes in order to preserve our souls.

Sometimes the boyfriend or girlfriend has to be totally cut off. Sometimes the app store has to be disabled. Sometimes the internet connection has to be removed. Sometimes you must attend a support group. Sometimes a 1 a.m. phone call to ask for help from another believer is necessary. Sometimes you have to walk away from a conversation. Sometimes you have to be very honest in an embarrassing way with someone you love. But this is war. And war requires drastic measures.

And the drastic measure Peter proposes is that we would abstain from fleshly lusts that war against our souls.

You'll be fine, by the way. This is one of the concerns many have regarding abstaining from the passions of the flesh. They worry they will somehow miss out on life; that plugged-up desire will cause them to explode!

But remember Daniel. When he was taken as an exile to Babylon, he knew he could not defile himself with the Babylonian way of life. He refused to eat and drink anything that contradicted God's law for the Hebrew people. And after a period of time, though he didn't eat and drink like everyone else, the Bible says Daniel and his friends were "better in appearance and fatter in the flesh" than everyone else (Daniel 1:15). He was fine. No, he thrived. And if you resist the passions of the flesh in favor of the health of your soul, so will you.

3. Conduct Yourself With Honor

12a Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable

Among the Gentiles?

But along with an exile mindset and abstaining from the passions of the flesh, Peter said we should conduct ourselves with honor. He said: "Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable" (12).

When Peter said this, he isn't making a statement about race. He wasn't telling Jews to behave a certain way to Gentiles. Instead, he was adopting the Jew-Gentile paradigm and applying it metaphorically to church people. Ancient Israel was meant to illuminate the Gentile nations with the light of God. Now church people are meant to illuminate the unbelieving world with the light of God.

And this concept that we should conduct ourselves with honor before the unbelieving world is a constant New Testament theme.

1 Thessalonians 4:11–12 (ESV) — 11 and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.

1 Corinthians 10:32 (ESV) — 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God...

Colossians 4:5 (ESV) — 5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.

Timothy 3:7 (ESV) — 7 (A pastor) must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.

Peter's Strategy: Good Works

And this is Peter's strategy for the hostility and marginalization the church will experience. He wants us to respond with a life of good works.

And, once again, Peter built this strategy on the teachings of Jesus. He said:

Matthew 10:16 (ESV) — 16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

This is a strategy that puts us in a vulnerable position. In a society of wolves, we aren't to respond in like manner. We must be different. We will need wisdom to navigate the waters ahead, which is why Jesus said we need to be wise as serpents. We will need clean lives so people cannot discredit us, which is why Jesus said we need to be innocent as doves. But we must go out as sheep (or lambs) among wolves.

And sheep exist for others. Their coats are for others. And Christians think of Jesus' cross and the whole Old Testament sacrificial system. Many lambs died as sacrifices that pointed to the ultimate Lamb of God that takes away the world's sin. Now we come along in his image, sheep and lambs ready to lay down our lives for others -- sheep among wolves.

And one way to do this is by designing our lives around engaging in good works. You might not have all the answers (who does?). But you can do good. We all, in some way, can design our lives to strategically, purposefully, intentionally shares Jesus by living honorable lives filled with good works.

Good Where?

When Peter says this -- Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation -- he is not giving specifics. In the next section of his letter, he is going to teach us how to live honorably in society, in the workplace, and in the home. None of what he has in mind is exclusive to the church building. Peter envisions an everyday life of good-doing, an attractional community of God's people.

And the early Christians were known in this way. They were accused of many odd things, but over time they became regarded as moral people. They had a different ethic than the norm. This is why early Christianity became such a refuge for women, children, and the marginalized. The Roman society was brutal for women and children, but the early Christians honored women, rescued babies (mostly unwanted baby girls), and served the poor. Their lives were a testimony to the excellencies of God.

Make no mistake: Peter does not want his audience to live such good lives that they would earn the right to invite someone to an evangelistic event. Peter thinks their lives, at all times, are evangelistic events.

Some Design Thoughts

Let me try to make this practical for our purposes.

First, don't make this programmatic. We don't need to isolate our good works to group campaigns with signups and days of service and group t-shirts. Those things are fine, but they should be the overflow of lives that are geared to do good.

Second, don't make this too grand. We should not paralyze ourselves by thinking we must singlehandedly rescue every disadvantaged child in our community. If we think too big, we will never do the small things that people actually see.

Third, examine your life routines. I like the advice to think through your daily, weekly, and monthly rhythms. Where might good deeds be added? Where might we bless others?

Perhaps another Christian would benefit from being with you for dinner or grocery shopping or yard work or a hike? Perhaps the normal course of life could be turned into opportunities for mentoring or friendship or human connection or pastoral care?

Perhaps there is room for an unbelieving friend? Ask questions about their family and pursuits and interests and see where the conversation goes. Ask the Spirit to aid you. But always serve them.

Perhaps you simply need to volunteer to help a local group. Perhaps you need a hobby where you can mix it up with others. Perhaps you need to get out of the house more -- too many of us live a shelter-in-place lifestyle, and ministry to others doesn't happen like that.

But ask the Lord to inspect your life and show you ways to design it to be full of good works and honorable living for our community to see.