Sojourning Ethics

Last week we answered the question of who am I? Tied to this question inherently is purpose. Who am I? also asks why am I here? For those who look within and to themselves, this can be a daunting question. Why am I here? Why do I exist? What is it exactly that I am to do with my life?

These questions can often leave us feeling aloof, adrift, and purposeless in this life at best, and can often lead to hopeless existentialism. Without any definiteness, it can be very disorientating to start thinking about the why behind our existence.

But Peter, knowing this, and knowing the messages that were coming at these Christians from all angles around them, seeks to put that answer to rest. He wants to reinforce in these Christians the why behind who they are and seek tell them how they are to live as a result of that.

This is useful for us today also. We can feel left drifting in this life. Even though we know who we are in Christ, sometimes we’re unsure now what to do with that. Are we to “Christianise” everything? Are we to give up what we are doing?

I’m reminded of what Martin Luther says about the duty of the Christian as a result of conversion, he says,

“The Christian shoemaker does his duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship.”

So, what are we to do with ourselves as those who are God’s? Exactly what you were doing, but now you have a reason to work with all you have. You’re not to separate off from the world around it, but called to the best influence within it because of whose you are.

Whose are you? You are God’s, in Christ. We are called by God who by His power has caused us to be born again, who has ransomed us from the futile ways inherited from our forefathers by the precious blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ.

As such, we are now also given a purpose. It requires of a certain way of living. As “those who are elect exiles” we are marked by an ethic of sojourning. This is in order that we may offer spiritual sacrifices through Christ, the one perfect sacrifice and our advocate.

This answers the total question of who we are. It gives identity and purpose. We are not free to act according to our old nature, which governs this world, but instead are to live as citizens of another country. We are sojourning here, on our way and as such are governed by that ethic. This will be our focus for this evening, our sojourning ethics.

The ethic flows from a position a position, it has a purpose, it requires something personal. These will be the headings for this evening.

Our Position

We talked last week of the central idea of this section of Peter as being around answering the question whose am I? This is in stark contrast to the common questions that plague us today of figuring out our own identity. Peter again returns to this central idea of whose are we here in the text before us.

Read 9a & 10.

Head

At the risk of sounding repetitive, Peter wants to locate first and foremost in our identity as God’s in Christ. Why is it that he feels the need to repeat himself so soon? It is because he knows the fickleness of our natures and the pressure that we come against. If we are not constantly reminded of who we are, we are sure to forget.

The pressures both from within us and outside of us forever threaten to pull us under, to swallow us up, to kill us. It is necessary for this reason to keep at the forefront of everything we do, who we are in Christ.

You are the redeemed people of God. You are called out by His voice. You are raised to life from the pits of death by His gracious hand of salvation. It is like a brand on your life.

God has taken a permanent brand to us and has sanctified us. But greater than a brand from the fire, God has taken our hearts of stone and replaced it with living hearts. He has taken our identity as those opposed to God, as sinners, and now called us holy saints.

And such, like I said last week, we are like Israel at the foot of Sinai in Exodus 19,

You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself… you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; 6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

He also says this to us now. As those claimed by God, we now live lives in service to Him.

Peter now expands on that concept by taking what is said of Israel as a nation and claiming it to the Church.

Who are we?

Chosen Race

Peter says first that we are a chosen race. These are the same words declared over the people of God at Sinai. It is to serve as a reminder to us and the people Peter wrote to that we have been called out from this world. We may be tempted to turn back to our old ways, but God has claimed us as His own people.

It is a great honour to be raised to be God’s people. Contrary to the shame people tell us we must feel about being opposed to the culture around, we are set apart for Him.

Are a People

He adds to our nature, in vs 10 that we are now a people. Here Peter quotes from that passage in Hosea where Hosea proclaims over the people of God that because of their sin, they are no longer a people.

And so were we! Because of our sin, we fell from what we were created to be, God’s people. We were not a people, adrift in our sin. But now, God claims us as His own and calls His people. He promised redemption to the people of God.

Hosea says, “I will say to Not My People, You are my people; and he shall say, “You are my God.” Oh, the great mercy of God that is ours in Christ! For once we had no God, but now the creator of the Heavens and Earth, of you and me, has claimed you as His own because of His great mercy!

Holy Nation

Peter says of us, that as the people of God, He has consecrated us to Himself. He calls us as He is. It is now our duty to lead pure and holy lives.

A People for his own Possession

Peter also says that now, we are the inheritance of God. As much as we are His and He has claimed our lives, we are also His. He takes pride in us, and has set us aside, that devoted to Him alone, we might be His.

This promise was held out to Israel to fulfill, but they failed. But now in Christ, the better Israel, He fulfilled this demand on us. We now are perfect as God’s people.

A Royal Priesthood

To all of these, Peter says that we are a Royal Priesthood. As the nation of Israel enjoyed priesthood before God through their elected Priests, we enjoy a greater fulfilment of this priesthood through the royal Son of David who has become our Great High Priest.

He sits in heaven having finished the work of God. We are partakers of His Priesthood, the perfect Priesthood.

God has called us to Himself in Christ and those people of Israel had a taste of what is ours now in Christ, a full, unmitigated entrance into God’s holy of holies in Christ. He has torn down that curtain of partition, and now we have full entrance to God our Father!

pause

It is purely from God’s goodness and mercy that He gives ALL these benefits to us. But to more greatly show what Peter desires us to know, John Calvin comments beautifully,

it appears more fully how incomparable is God’s goodness towards us; for he sanctifies us, who are by nature polluted; he chose us, when he could find nothing in us but filth and vileness; he makes his peculiar possession from worthless dregs; he confers the honour of the priesthood on the profane; he brings the vassals of Satan, of sin, and of death, to the enjoyment of royal liberty.

Whose are you? You are God’s created for Himself that you, though sinners, would proclaim His goodness and greatness.

Our Purpose

It is to this which is our purpose that we now turn.

Read vs 9b

All of these are ours, in Christ, in order that God’s excellencies would be exalted on high through our bodies. Indeed, what excellencies they are! Light isn’t appreciated and marvelled at until it is in stark contrast with darkness.

God’s grace has been lavished upon us in all wisdom and mercy. And He did this to us while we were in the dark. We were sinners, dead in our sin, but God (what wonderful words they are!) pulled us up from the miry grave and gave us life.

We wandered in the dark, following after our every desire, we were not searching for God. In fact, we were strongly opposed to Him. But this is grace, that those who were the enemies of God, He now calls His friends.

One writer points out that if God had given us this light while we were seeking it, it would be favour; but it was greater favour, mercy and grace, that while we were lost and running from Him in the dark, the light of our salvation in Christ shone into our hearts.

God does all these things in us in order that “we may proclaim” all these wonderful things about God. This is our purpose in life. We are marked by the grace of God in order that our whole lives would be taken up in giving glory to God.

We are to proclaim all that is in God, he mercies his goodness, his kindness, his wisdom, his grace, power, righteousness and all else that we have not even begun to discover. For God is a deep well, not even our whole lives could tell of His great goodness to the whole world.

But God calls us to Himself for this purpose. That as God’s glory, His goodness, all His mercies and wisdom would be proclaimed, not just by our mouths, but also the whole of our lives. This purpose is the ultimate end of all that we do.

Whether you are a doctor, a teacher, a nurse, a builder, plumber, electrician, or retired. Whether a Father, mother, son or daughter, in all that you do, your life is bound up in this one purpose, that the glories of God’s light would shine forth from you.

The way in which this shines will be the final point of our identity in Christ.

Something Personal

Peter says that these things are proclaimed in our bodies in two ways, it is both inward and outward. God’s glory is shown through your purity and holiness and from loving your neighbour.

Read vs 11-12

Like an embassy on foreign soil, governed by the laws of its country, Christians are to be like embassies or outposts of heaven, governed by the laws of heaven while here on earth. As such, your identity is found in Christ and all that He is.

An embassy is a light to the nation around them of what their country is. It is governed by its own laws, and follows an ethic set by its sending country. This is all in order that it may be a faithful witness. So, we are too be like embassy’s to the world around us.

Christ says to us that we are to like a city on a hill, proclaiming a place of refuge to all those around us. And like salt in food, we are called to be distinct and peculiar after God, in order that we may season those around us.

Head

So, the first aspect of Peter’s personal obligation on us is within us. As Christ says,

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.”

And so, Peter urges us, in this vein wage war against all those things which would seek destroy our saltiness. There is a great conflict within us, with ourselves. That tension that Paul spoke of in Romans 7 wages war in our souls, for our souls. We constantly are tempted to give in.

Heart

Because giving in will mean a release of pressure around us. Giving in means that the noose tightening around our necks will loosen. We desire to be accepted by those around us. It’s not fun being on the outside, so giving in to a few sins here and there surely must not be that harmful?

But give Satan an inch and He will take a mile. A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man. A little relaxing against sin, and it is not poverty that will strike, but the peril of our souls.

Hands

Stand firm and stand strong in this conflict for your soul. I’m sure you know as I do what a vicious cycle sin is. We give into temptation, just once. But once is all that’s needed. For the next time temptation arises, our will is weaker. And as we give into sin, whatever it may be, our souls take hit after hit.

Wounded and battered, we avoid God. We avert our gaze and avoid His presence. But as we do this, our will which is already weak becomes even more so. As it does our perception of our standing with God falters.

Oh, that God would save us from that time of trial and temptation! And save us He promises. He is your Father. Like a kind father here who instructs us again and again in the way we should go though we fail, our heavenly Father is ever ready with mercy and grace.

He promises us that though we may be broken reeds and smouldering wicks, He is gentle and kind. He promises that all who come to Him He will not cast out.

In Christ, He offers us redemption. You need not try cleaning yourself up before coming again to the throne of grace. It is only there that you will find the righteous clothes of Christ.

Satan may stand and accuse you saying, look at you! How could you ever approach the throne of God? Have you seen your dirty rags of sin? We find ourselves like Joshua before the throne of God in Zechariah, clothed with the filthy garments of our sin.

But God says over you, dear sinner, “Remove the filthy garments from him. Behold, I have taken away your iniquity, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.”

Here at the throne of grace we find the soothing balm for our sin battered souls. And there is no sin that God will not heal. Like the prodigal Son who returns home in rags to only find the loving embrace of his Father, we too can run to our Father and find in Him a loving embrace.

Head

Peter’s encouragement comes from being centered on our home in heaven. He speaks to us as citizens of that city, “as sojourners and exiles.” So, we must be heavenly minded in all that we do. But contrary to popular opinion, to be heavenly mind is to be of much worldly use.

The second commandment that Peter gives us concerns our neighbor. This is the natural outworking of the grace of God in our lives. It always turns to loving our neighbors. It is here that we find the outward ethic of the sojourner and our purpose to those around us.

Heart

The ethic of the world is an eye for an eye. The ethic of the Kingdom of heaven is offering your cheek when someone slaps the other. Our natural inclination in our sinful nature is to respond like with like. It is to respond reviling with revile.

I hear recently of one so called “Christian pastor” talking about how he desires to live says, “I want to reward my friends and crush my enemies.”

This flies in the face of Peter's sojourner ethics, it also flies in the face of what Jesus says. Anyone can love their friends, but to love your enemies? That's the sojourner ethics.

Hearing this statement is like biting into a star anise. It is bitter and revolting. So too is Christians acting like the world, seeking to take a tooth for a tooth.

Honourable living amongst those around us finds its root in what we have received first from God. We love our enemies and seek to live peaceably with them because God first loved us, while we were His enemies. Now we have peace with God and live to bring that peace to others.

This is contrary to our natural desires; it's why Peter wrote later, to submit. He knew how hard it was, Peter was the one who brought the sword against the government, but now he tells us to submit to them.

The government hadn't changed. Arguably, it had gotten worse! But he still calls them to submit. And so, we too must submit in this day. We must live among the people who would speak against us as evildoers, as those who seek peace because we have received peace.

One author writes,

Peter’s vision is that the exemplary behavior of Christians will change the minds of their accusers and in effect “overcome evil with good.”

This is how redemption was won for us. Evil was overcome by the greatest good, the love of God to us in Jesus Christ.

This is hard to follow but for those who believe, there is much grace to fulfill what is commanded of us. Though the call on our life and our purpose goes against all our natural desires, it is God who has supplied all we need in Christ, including our ability to fulfill these commands.

Come to Him and pray to Him that He may give you grace as you live as His chosen, holy, peculiar people, set apart as His holy Priesthood.