28. A Christian Manifesto

1 Peter 2:11, 12 A Christian’s Manifesto

You may be asking, as you look through the bulletin why I would title this a Christian Manifesto. You may also be asking ‘what is a manifesto?’ A manifesto is a public declaration beliefs, intentions and vision. There are many such documents in the Christian faith, for example The Apostle’s Creed, The Nicene Creed. Which are statements summarizing what Christians believe. Verses 11 and 12 stand as a good example of a personal manifesto. Remember the context of this letter was written in the midst of persecution and suffering.

1Pe 2:11-12 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul. (12) Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may on account of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.

Introduction:

These two verses introduce for us a new instructional unit. As a reminder 1 Peter can be divided into three instructional units. Each introduced by the work or combination of words alien, stranger and beloved. We see this in 1Pe 1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen…

1Pet. 2:11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul. And 1Pe 4:12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you;

The first unit focuses primarily but not exclusively on the Triune God’s work of Salvation. The second instructional unit will focus primarily but not exclusively on the practical outworking of salvation. The third instructional unit focuses on the promise of sharing in the sufferings of Christ and the functioning of the church in managing that suffering.

I. The Christian’s Motive v11

The word beloved is used 69x in the NT. God uses it in reference to His Son. Mat_3:17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased."

Peter, through the inspiration of the Spirit is communicating two things here. He is communicating the love he has for the brethren and reaffirming God’s love. We have just seen in the previous verses that just as Jesus is chosen and precious, we too are chosen and precious as living stone.

The term ‘Beloved’ shows the heart of God and Peter’s heart for His people. It literally means to be dear to the heart, much loved. But it is not any kind of love that we are called beloved. It is not the romantic love that spouses may have for one another, it is not the filial love between siblings and it is not the paternal love of parents to children. It is the agape love; that kind of love which is bestowed upon a person with no expectation of benefit in return. It is the choice, not made under compulsion, of the Giver of such love. It is emotive but emotion is not its foundation. It is both motive and motivation for the bestowing of the highest good on the person loved. It is a dedication and priority, a pouring of oneself into the labor of loving and as it is the motive, the labor, though at times may be difficult from the human perspective, does not produce bitterness, resentment, or jealousy.

1Co 13:4-7  Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,  (5)  does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,  (6)  does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;  (7)  bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

It is a single minded focus. In the Catechism the question is asked, ‘What does the Scriptures principally teach?’ That answer is what man is to believe concerning God and what duty God requires of man. But that answer does not go far enough. No! It tells of the Triune God’s unrelenting and unfailing passion in securing the redemption and reconciliation of those whom He has chosen and loved before the foundation of the world. The Bible testifies of this from Genesis 1 to its complete fulfillment in Revelation 22. From the promise of Gen 3:16 of the promised seed of the woman that would crush the serpent’s head, the promise to Abraham that through your Seed all the nations would be blessed Gen 22:18. Every prophecy spoken in reference to the coming of our Redeemer even the ordering of human history and preparation of just the right time that Christ would come is the testimony of the living God’s love for His people.

1Pe 1:10-12  Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you,  (11)  searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.  (12)  To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into. Read and re-read from chapter 1:1 to 2:10, then read them again. There is no other conclusion that can be reached other than you are beloved.

II. The Christian’s Mindset v11 aliens and strangers

Alien means literally to dwell near and thus to have a home alongside of. It refers to a person living in a foreign land alongside of people who are not of his kind or to a period spent in a foreign land without taking out or being granted rights of citizenship. It is a land that is hostile by nature.

Stranger literally means a stranger alongside and so a stranger or sojourner. This person is not simply one who is passing through, but a foreigner who has settled down, however briefly, next to or among the native people. What a picture of the believer in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation!

The use of these words applied to Christians tells us two things. Since we are aliens in a hostile country we must live carefully. ‘they slander you as evildoers’. Since we are temporary aliens upon this earth we must work hard because we do not know when the day of our sojourning will be done.

Ex: the Parable of the 10 virgins – Mat 25:1-12  "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.  (2)  Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.  (3)  Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,  (4)  but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.  (5)  But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.  (6)  "And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!'  (7)  Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.  (8)  And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'  (9)  But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'  (10)  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.  (11)  "Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!'  (12)  But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.'

Mat 25:13  "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

How should this mindset affect the Christian? 1) That we do not form attachments to the things of this world. 1Jn 2:15  Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. The text is crystal clear and there is no room for misinterpretation. 2) We must not adopt the worlds attitudes Rom 12:2  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. 3) That we live a prepared life. 1Pe 3:15-16  but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;  (16)  and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

III. The Christian Manifested v12

A. Internal Preparation – abstain from fleshly lusts that wage war against the soul.

Abstain means to keep at a distance. Peter calls for the believer to hold himself away from contact or influence of the strong desires that originate from our utterly depraved nature inherited from Adam and still latent even in those who have been born again. This holding away is a present continuous action. It is habitual. We are to hold away fleshly lusts. This is not limited to sexual sin but to all such sin arising from the flesh. Ex: power, prestige, giving access to our baser, worldly, flesh. The old man which is continually being corrupted in accordance to this world. A Cherokee grandfather is talking with his grandson and he says there are two wolves inside of us which are always at war with each other. One of them is a good wolf which represents things like kindness, bravery and love. The other is a bad wolf, which represents things like greed, hatred and fear. The grandson stops and thinks about it for a second then he looks up at his grandfather and says, “Grandfather, which one wins?” The grandfather quietly replies, the one you feed.

Remember the point about applying the word of God. Whatever negative is explicitly stated the positive is implied. Jas 4:7-8  Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  (8)  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. If we are to keep from fleshly lusts then we are keep to God.

Rom 13:14  But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

The means of internal preparation:

Internal preparation is important due to what Jesus said. Luk 6:45  "The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.

Rom 12:2  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

How do prepare internally?

B. External Application

Keep your behavior excellent. It is better that unbelievers have to slander us than for them to be able to speak the truth about Christians’ bad behavior. Early Christians were falsely accused of rebellion against the government with such false accusations as: terrorism (burning Rome), atheism (no idols or emperor worship), cannibalism (Lord’s Supper), immorality (love for one another), damaging trade and social progress, and leading slaves into insurrection. Cf. Acts 16:18ff; 19:19,24-25, 26, 27.

Col 3:5-11  Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.  (6)  Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,  (7)  in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.  (8)  But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.  (9)  Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,  (10)  and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,  (11)  where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.

Eph 4:31-32  Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.  (32)  And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

IV. The Purpose : Evangelism They may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the Day of visitation.

Good deeds implies much more than telling the truth and doing what is right. It carries with it the idea of beauty, comeliness, that which is admirable and honorable.

Observe means to observe something, implying both continuity (watch over a period of time) and intent (view carefully). The world is watching. The sad reality is that a good portion of professing Christians have forgotten that the world is watching. They have failed to take into account of the war against their souls. The purpose of war is to weaken to the point of uselessness or defeat utterly and completely. So the world observes with the intensity and scrutiny of a scientist on that which he is studying. Most to find fault certainly but some perhaps to find the answer of the ache of their soul. Will they find that in you? In me?

The day of visitation can have two meanings here. When God visits it can be for the purpose of salvation or judgement. But in context it appears the former is the meaning here. Since those whom God visits with salvation will look at your good deeds and glorify God for your faithful testimony in word and deeds of God’s salvation.

Act 16:26-30  Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed.  (27)  And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself.  (28)  But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, "Do yourself no harm, for we are all here."  (29)  Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.  (30)  And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

Paul and Silas could have escaped but they did not. It was, in part, because of their Christian integrity the Philippian jailor was converted.

See the contrast between true faith and the world. Notice the large-hearted absence of any spirit of revenge. Peter only desires that the heathen, when they find out how baseless their accusations are and how cruel their condict, may be led to salvation and to glorify God.

We have to ask ourselves, Is this my heart? Is this the heart of this church?

Php 2:10-11  that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth,  (11)  and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Application:

What is our motivation? We are the beloved of God.

What is our mindset? We are aliens and strangers in a foreign land, here for a short time.

How do we manifest ourselves as Christians? By internal preparation by laying hold the means of Grace that God has bestowed for progressing in holiness and sanctification, without which no one will see the Lord.

And the outward application that results in good deeds for the dead and dying inhabitants of this world to look upon.

Some to the result of salvation others whose end is judgment.