Living according to the word of God. "1 Peter 2: 11-12"
The new life in Christ is determinant to leave behind all the attitudes and behavior of the past way of life, which was vitiated by the sinful desires of the flesh. The apostle Peter exhorts Christians to completely turn away from these sinful desires that go against the new life in Christ and to begin to lead an exemplary conduct in which unbelievers do not have to point out or speak evil of the children of God, but to observe in every believer an exemplary conduct that glorifies and praises God until the day of the great manifestation of the glory of Christ in heaven. Peter wrote:
I appeal to you, dear brothers, as to strangers and sojourners in this world, to turn away from sinful desires[a] that war against life. 12 Maintain among unbelievers[b] such exemplary conduct that, though they accuse you of wrongdoing, they may observe your good works and glorify God on the day of salvation. "1 Peter 2: 11-12"
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The sinful desires of the flesh put us in contact with the world and make us act contrary to the life that God demands that we have in Christ. In the world, Peter says that we are pilgrims and strangers, which should lead us to think that our citizenship is not on earth, but in heaven. God wants us to learn to lead a just and righteous life as established in his word, which is the true lamp that illuminates our path. The desires of the flesh drag us into sin and lead us to act as unbelievers do. We must live according to the word of God, which shows us the principles and values that God wants his children to develop in order to have a clean and worthy life both in the eyes of God and in the eyes of the world. Unbelievers will always look at our mistakes to justify their sins and make it seem that God does not exist, however, when we walk in the light of the word of God, our life of holiness increases in fear of God. Peter tells us:
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims in this world to turn away from sinful desires[a] which war against life. "1 Peter 2: 11"
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The best way to maintain an exemplary conduct in the eyes of unbelievers is to live according to the word of God, which guides us and renews our thoughts, in order to have the powerful mind of Christ and overcome sinful thoughts. Unbelievers always look for the negative details in a Christian to speak evil, however, when we walk and speak as God commands in his word, this will be enough to silence the mouths of the enemies of God. We cannot forget, that leading a life according to what God commands in his word, will be a reason to glorify and praise God in order to have our greatest reward on the day of our salvation when Christ comes for his church.
Keep such exemplary conduct among unbelievers that, though they accuse you of wrongdoing, they will observe your good works and glorify God on the day of salvation. "1 Peter 2: 12"
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Finally, beloved brethren in Christ, if we consider very seriously the words of the apostle Peter, we would be guaranteeing for ourselves a great salvation in the last days of the manifestation of Christ. There is no doubt that for the unbelievers it will be a hard time of judgment and punishment, because they preferred to obey evil rather than to act according to the word of God. Let us maintain a sober attitude in complete obedience to God, trying to live always attached to what God commands in his word and not to what our carnal desires order us to do. It is necessary to put on the new man in Christ with righteousness and love for the truth in order to overcome the vices of the old man who has been buried by Christ in his death, to resurrect in us a new man according to the will of God.
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This is so true!
That line got to me; because you made it clear that our rewards is an eternal one that will come with Christ at his appearing in glory.
Colossians 3:1-4
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Thanks for writing at Heartchurch