1 Peter 2:11-25 ~ For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.

1 Peter 2:11-25

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. ¹² Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

¹³ Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, ^{[every institution ordained for people]} whether it be to the emperor ^[king] as supreme, ¹⁴ or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. ¹⁵ For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. ¹⁶ Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants ^{[bondservants]} of God. ¹⁷ Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

¹⁸ Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. ¹⁹ For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. ²⁰ For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. ²¹ For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. ²² He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. ²³ When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. ²⁴ He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. ²⁵ For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Sojourners, conduct, good deeds, glorify God.

The Will of God silences foolish people.

Live freely, genuinely.

Honor

Freedom

Fear God

Respect

Good and gentle

gracious thing

Christ suffered for you

you have been called

follow in His steps

leave an example

do not revile in return

entrusting ourselves to HIM

we will not stray as sheep

Instead Rest

Returning to the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls


We have times we are pressed. Shaken down. Yet we have a choice. To have hope. Not to become of what we are unaware. In awareness, we find healing. Acknowledging our dark corners. Putting our hands out to HIM. He is Light. And yet. The darkness is not dark to HIM. It is in acting, we are defeated. It is in compromise, we are entangled. It is finding the place to be ourselves. In HIM.

God holds us. As He knew Gideon. As He knows Peter. As all of us are fallen. Each day to -

Isaiah 35:3
Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees.

Philippians 3:12
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

Hebrews 12:1
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.


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