Honourable lives make a difference

Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. – 1 Peter 2.11-12

I'm just a poor wayfarin' stranger,

While travelin' through this world below.

Yet there's no sickness, no toil, nor danger,

In that bright land to which I go.

I'm goin' there to see my Father.

And all my loved ones who've gone on.

I'm just goin' over Jordan.

I'm just goin' over home.

So goes a great old spiritual that seems to be based on this passage. I think, if I remember correctly, that this song was sung by slaves in the American South. It was good reminder that we are only passing through this tired on broken world and we are headed for a our wonderful future home in heaven.

It was a song that focused on enduring until we get to go.

But this verse tells us that we have a lot more to do than just hold on. We are to:

Abstain from the fleshly lusts that war against us

Keep our conduct honourable among the world

Live so that when they speak evil of us there will no answer, because our good works will glorify God.

Certainly we are just passing through – but while we are doing so we need to make an impact for our God. We need to make a difference that everyone can see as we sojourn amongst this world.

We make an obvious difference when we ‘abstain from fleshly lusts.’ We are all aware that we have to war against them. I have to do battle daily. But instead of dabbling in them we are told to just abstain from them. Our very abstaining is going to make a difference. Even when we are made fun of or laughed at we are making a difference.

We keep our conduct honourable. We don’t just do right, we do the honourable thing.  God’s people should always be known as honourable people. We are honourable Christians, honourable in our homes, and honourable citizens of our earthly lands. 

And what happens if we abstain from earthly lusts and behave honourably? What happens when our actions and attitudes silence their criticism? What does it mean that they will ‘glorify God in the day of visitation?’

There is a lot of discussion about what this verse. I think, according to the context, it is pretty clear. When we make a difference we give our critics an opportunity to join us in glorifying God in heaven. And how are they going to do that? Only by coming to faith in Christ.

Are we making a difference in our pure and honourably conduct. Does it make the kind of difference that will impact others to join us in glorifying God when Christ returns for us?

The way we live is important. If it doesn’t match up to our words we are spinning our wheels and wasting our time.

Live honourable lives – make a difference.