1 Peter 2:11

1 Peter 2:11 ‘Beloved,. urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul.'

‘Beloved' -‘dear friends' (Arndt p. 6); ‘term of endearment and warm affection' (Woods p. 65). word which indicates that Peter himself was practicing. sincere love for the brethren (1 Peter 1:22). ‘By using the word ‘beloved' Peter reminds his readers that though he exhorts them as an apostle he also cares for them as beloved brothers and sisters in the Lord's family.' (Grudem p. 114)

‘I urge you' -‘admonish, exhort' (Thayer p. 482). The word ‘urge' reveals that the information to follow isn't optional, at the same time, the word hints at the freewill of the readers. ‘The word..has the sense “I strongly urge you,. strongly appeal to you' (Grudem p. 114)

‘as aliens' -a word denoting. temporary resident, stranger or foreigner. It reminds these Christians, that this world is not their home (1 Peter 3:20; Matthew 6:19). ‘Because our citizenship papers are in heaven, we should be speaking heaven's language and observing the ways and customs that heaven has designed' (Oberst p. 110) ‘one who lives in. place that is not his true home' (Grudem p. 114)

‘strangers' -‘away from one's own people' (Vine p. 183) (1 Peter 1:1; 1 Peter 1:17)

POINTS TO NOTE: 1. ‘The knowledge that they do not belong does not lead to withdrawal (like. hermit), but to….. taking their standards of behavior, not from the culture in which they live, but from their “home” culture of heaven, so that their life always fits the place they are headed to. rather than their temporary lodging in this world.' (Davids p. 95). 2. ‘The knowledge that Christians have no true home here on earth has been of comfort especially to those who spend years and even lifetimes away from their earthly homes (or home town) in the service of Christ.' (Grudem p. 115) 3. The words ‘alien' and ‘strangers' is an indictment against all who want the Church to change with the times and accommodate its teachings to the present culture. Such doctrines as the New Hermeneutic would argue that Christians no longer have to be aliens and strangers in this world. 4. The faithful in past ages have always had. ‘sojourner' attitude (Hebrews 11:10). 5. God's people have always needed to guard themselves against becoming like the unbelieving cultures surrounding them (Leviticus 18:3; Romans 12:1; 1 John 2:15; James 4:4). 6. To live like. sojourner, one must think like one, i.e. our heart and mind must be focused on our true home (Col_3:-12; Matthew 6:21). 7. The Christian must always remember that we don't take our cue from the customs of this world. Just because man says something is legal, or something is. ‘right', it doesn't we have the ‘right' to engage in it. What is truly right or wrong, comes from heaven (Matthew 16:19) 8. Christian, how well are you representing your homeland? 9. The Christian who has placed other things ahead of God (Matthew 6:33) is no longer. pilgrim, rather, they have become. permanent resident.

‘to abstain' -‘hold oneself from, keep from' (Vine p. 16). Here in the present tense, ‘keep on abstaining from.'

‘fleshly lusts' -‘physical cravings' (Gspd).

POINTS TO NOTE: 1.. am always intrigued by those who try to make the above statement mean something like, ‘the lusts of our sinful nature'. But if one is born with. sinful nature, then other doctrines of Calvinism are also true, i.e. once saved, always saved, and predestination. Which would completely undermine the exhortation ‘to abstain'. For why should. abstain, if. can't lose my salvation? And why should. abstain if my example won't make. bit of difference between who ends up saved? 2. Every physical craving isn't sinful (1 Timothy 4:1). Rather, physical cravings become sinful when they become perverted and are abused (Galatians 5:19). 3. The word abstain admits. very important truth: ‘Such. command implies that inward desires are not uncontrollable but can be consciously nurtured or restrained---a needed rebuke to our modern society which takes feelings as. morally neutral ‘given' and disparages any who would say that some feelings and desires are wrong.' (Grudem p. 115) (See also Ephesians 2:3; 2 Peter 2:18; Titus 2:12) Christians are not helpless, we can abstain, even from what the world would consider to be irresistible temptations (2 Timothy 2:22).

‘which wage war against the soul' -‘to carry on. campaign' (Robertson p. 100) ‘not merely. state of antagonism, but rather. constant, active, aggressive, conflict' (Woods p. 66). ‘to perform military duty, serve as. soldier' (Oberst p. 111) Present tense, ‘which are continually waging war.'

POINTS TO NOTE: 1. Man does have. soul! 2. ‘To entertain such desires may appear momentarily attractive and entirely harmless…..but they are in reality enemies which inflict harm on the Christian's soul, making him spiritually weak and ineffective.' (Grudem p. 115). 3. We don't have the right to believe or think whatever we want to think (Matthew 5:28). ‘Lust' will destroy your spiritual health and relationship with God. 4. Allowing sinful desires to enter our minds is nothing short of opening. wide door so the enemy can walk right in. Too many people have bought into the myth that we can think what we want, just as long as our outward actions remain in line. (Mark 7:20). 5. And please note that ‘fleshly lusts' are not just sins involving the body. Rather, they also include such things as arrogance, envy, malice, hatred, etc…(Galatians 5:19).

The Positive Result Of Such Abstaining: