A Blameless Conversation

Application Points:
- We need Jesus
- We need to proclaim Jesus
- We need to represent Jesus

Text: 1 Peter 2:11-12

1 Peter 2:11-12
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.

(11)
"Beloved, I beg you…"
Peter was this rugged man. A "man's man", and yet here we have him caring for his people in a very tender way.

- Goes against the overly-macho stereotype. Men can care deeply for what God gives them!
- Shows the transformative work of Jesus Christ in his heart.

As strangers and pilgrims

Strangers - People who don't belong; people who live somewhere but are not citizens or members
Pilgrims - A sojourner in a strange place

"Abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul"

Various other Spirit vs. Flesh dynamics in Scripture:

Matthew 26:41 - "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

Here, Jesus was saying to His disciples to be careful that they did not desert Him because of these trials ahead. We need to be careful as well as pray to God for strength to get through any trial. Even more, the less we are shaken by, the more we should work at cultivating faith through life's circumstances, and the strength against wavering is from God.

Is your foundation ROCK or is it SAND?

Romans 7
- Paul complains and grieves that he sins
- Paul sees the desire of the Spirit not to sin
- Paul also sees the desire of the flesh that leads to sin
- "Who will free me from the body of this death!"

Romans 8
- Spirit OR Flesh -- which are you in?
- Those who have the Spirit of God dwelling within them are of the Spirit
- Those in the flesh cannot please God

Galatians 5
- Do not do the deeds of the flesh
- Do the deeds which are the results of the Holy Spirit's work ('fruit' of the Spirit)

We never have excuse for sin, though God does show us His gracious forgiveness. Even with God's grace on display so strongly because of our sin, it is not our duty to sin -- Paul asks, "Shall we sin that grace may abound? God forbid!"

(12)
"conversation" - your walk of life

EVEN IF they speak against you:
- Your good works will speak for themselves -- you're clean!

Elsewhere in Scripture:
- One of the urges that Paul gives to believers living in day-to-day secular society -- 1 Thessalonians 4:12 - "That you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing."
- Romans 13:13-14
13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.
14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:22 - Abstain from every form of evil. (Some translations: "appearance of evil")
- 1 Timothy 3 & Titus 1 - Qualifications of a Bishop/Pastor - Primary idea relating to character -- "Above reproach"

This often involves steps of wisdom. We need to be careful about what we get into, and we need to be wise about making measures to be 'above reproach.'

e.g. Billy Graham - Not getting into a car with a woman one-on-one without