1 Peter 2:13a (NKJV) - Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake…
 
The middle letter of sin is “I”, and our own rebellion and stubbornness is the problem keeping us from biblical submission. Right after prophetically describing how Jesus would be punished for our sins (Isaiah 53:3-5), verse 6 says, “All we like sheep have gone astray. Everyone has turned to his own way, and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." In other words, we've all done our own thing and what we want to do. We've wandered and strayed, and our waywardness is why we need Jesus.
 
The Bible continually refers to people as sheep (Psalm 23:1-4 and John 21:15-16), and it’s not a compliment. Sheep wander. If they stayed in line, you wouldn't need a shepherd. A shepherd's always bringing the sheep back together and back to safety. If they stayed where they needed to be, they wouldn’t need a shepherd. Jesus is our Shepherd (1 Peter 5:1-4).  
 
This sinful stubbornness, pride and rebellion has been around since before humanity existed. Isaiah 14:12-15 records an encounter between God and Lucifer, a created angelic being who would become Satan:
 
Isaiah 14:12–15 (NKJV)
12 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations!
13 For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north;
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’
15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit.
 
God had entrusted Lucifer (who would later be called Satan) with a certain authority and domain. Instead of being content with that status in heaven, Satan overstepped his bounds. He made five bold declarations, essentially saying, “I will rise to the highest heights, I will be just like God, and I will elevate my throne.” But God responded by saying, “No, you will actually fall to the earth.”
 
Jesus describes what He saw during this moment when He says in Luke 10:18, “…I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” Jesus then tells His disciples that He is giving them authority over Satan and the forces of darkness in the next verse: “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”
 
Submission to God is related to victory over the devil. James 4:7 says, “Submit therefore to God, resist the devil and he will flee.” Christians love to talk about the authority that we have over Satan. “Greater is He that's in us than he that's in the world” (see 1 John 4:4). It is true that Satan has no power nor dominion over the life of the child of God. We, as Christians, do not have to fear the devil. We have power and authority over Satan in the name of Jesus and through the power of His blood. We have the angels of heaven who are fighting our battles. We don't have to be afraid of the devil, that's for sure. However, we cannot separate “resist the devil and he will flee” from “submit therefore to God” We must first submit ourselves to God, then we're in a position to resist the devil and he will flee. Submission paves the way to victory.
 
Even in a society that made it difficult to be a Christian, Peter said to "submit to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake" (or, because we are Christians). Often, we think we're submitting when we're just in agreement. We say, "I usually submit, but this time I can't go along with what my boss is telling me" or "I can't follow this new speed limit." What we're really saying is that all those other times, we've just been agreeing. But now, when we have a real chance to submit to authority, we're rejecting it. That's the stubbornness of our pride and sinfulness.
 
There's another example of this with King Saul. God anointed Saul as king through Samuel the prophet. However, even as king, Saul was expected to follow God's commands as delivered by Samuel.
 
In 1 Samuel 15, God instructed Samuel to tell Saul to attack a group offensive to God and destroy everything, including animals. But Saul disobeyed, deciding to keep some animals, claiming he intended to sacrifice them to God. This disobedience led God to reject Saul as king.
 
Samuel confronted Saul, saying, "What is this bleating of sheep that I hear?" Saul's partial obedience was unacceptable. Samuel stated, "To obey is better than sacrifice." In 1 Samuel 15:23, Samuel tells Saul, "Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you from being king."
 
We would never touch witchcraft as Christians, and we shouldn’t because it’s satanic. Samuel says that Saul’s rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and his stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. He does not say that Saul rejected Samuel’s directive, but rather God’s. He says, “Because you have rejected the word of the Lord…” The principle here is that God has established human institutions, and we are to submit to them. Samuel was the prophet, and God spoke to Saul through Samuel. Therefore, Saul did not disobey Samuel – he disobeyed God.
 
This same kind of stubbornness and rebellion prevails in today’s society. Teachers are striving to manage their classrooms while children and parents refuse to submit to them. The kids and parents are telling the teachers how to lead or manage their classes. When a teacher tries to correct an unruly child and sends him or her to the principal’s office, soon parents are demanding their child not be treated that way. Generally speaking, these types of parents have no respect for the authority. They are rebellious parents raising rebellious children.
 
Another example can be seen when coaches are working with kids and parents in youth sports. A congregant of mine witnessed a coach teaching 8-year-old ballplayers. He said to one of them,
 
“You understand that even if you perform well, if the team loses, we’ve all lost, right?”
 
“Yes, coach, I understand.”
 
The coach continued, "You understand this isn't an individual sport; it's a team sport."
 
"Yes, coach, I do."
 
"You understand that sometimes I'll need to pull you out and put someone else in?"
 
"Yes, coach."
 
"And you know it's important to support the team and not act like a brat if you're on the bench, right?"
 
"Yes, coach."
 
The coach finished by saying, “Now, I need you to explain all that to your grandma, who’s right over there.”
 
This kind of rebelliousness towards all forms of human authority starts with parents (or maybe grandparents, too), and goes down to the children. God’s Word teaches that believers are to have a spirit of submissiveness toward parents, teachers, coaches, employers, pastors and government. Sinful stubbornness is the problem with society, but God’s children should be different as we "submit to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake" (1 Peter 2:13). Submission paves the way to victory.
 
“Dear God, You ordered our world to have structures of authority. I may not always agree with them, but I pray that I will show Jesus to others by how I submit to those who are over me – at home, at work, at school, or in society. I trust You that You know best. Thank You for conforming me into the likeness of Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

​1 Peter 2:13a (NKJV) - Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake…
 
There was a Christian businessman in North Carolina who told me something I will never forget. He was in retirement at the time and had managed all kinds of people in his life. He had been a great church leader as well for decades. He said, "Followers are simply leaders who have chosen to let someone else lead." We might think, “Some are followers, and some are leaders,” but he would disagree. He explained, "We're all leaders, but followers are simply leaders who have chosen to let someone else lead."
 
We see this exemplified in the life of Christ as a 12-year-old at the temple. Jesus was talking to the religious leaders - asking and answering questions. They were amazed because here was a 12-year-old boy. Afterwards, Luke 2:51 says, “Then He [Jesus] went down with them [Joseph and Mary] and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart.” Though He astounded the religious leaders, Jesus lived in subjection to His parents. No one would ever say that Jesus was of any lower class of individual than Mary and Joseph, but yet it says that Jesus Christ was subject to his parents. Why? Well, He served here as an example to His followers. He would be telling us as children to be subject to our own parents and that there is order in the home.
 
Jesus was up in heaven and he condescended as an example to us. Philippians 2:5–8 says, “5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” He did not have to come down, but He condescended. He came down to rescue humanity on the cross, and it says that He became obedient even unto death, the death of the cross.
 
Jesus taught this to His disciples. Matthew 20:25–28 says, “25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. 26 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. 27 And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave--28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.’”
 
Jesus sought to teach a leadership model to His disciples that could be called “servant leadership.” He exemplified this servant leader when He took a towel and basin, knelt before His disciples and washed their feet.  John 13:3–5, 14-16 says, “3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, 4 rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. 5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. … 14 ‘If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16 Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.’”
 
Think about the fact that when we get to heaven and see Jesus, we are going to fall on our face and worship Him. However, here, we see Jesus kneeling before His disciples washing their feet as an act of humble servant leadership. Jesus is our model of not just servant leadership, but he's also our model for humility and submissiveness.
 
Remember the garden of Gethsemane? Jesus knows the stripes, the crown of thorns, and the cross are before Him. Jesus is praying to the Father in Matthew 26:39, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” He knew what was ahead, and if there's any other way to rescue humanity, He says, “let this cup pass for Me.” Then He ends that with a prayer of consecration, “yet not My will, but Your will be done.” Jesus shows submission to the Father’s will.
 
First Corinthians 11:3 describes order in the Trinitarian Godhead: “But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.” Imagine God the Father saying, “This is My plan. This is My purpose.” Jesus then listens and submits to the plan of the Father. All of these examples in the life of Jesus show that He lived a life of submission, and He is our model. Do we call ourselves Christians? The word “Christian” simply means “like Christ”.
 
Peter commends the followers of Christ in 1 Peter 2:13 to “submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake.” He did not say, “because the ordinances are worthy of submission.” He did not say, “submit to some ordinances of man.” He said Christians are to submit to every ordinance of man because of Jesus.
 
Americans often coil against the idea of submitting to any kind of authority. In a democracy, the citizens certainly can speak into unjust laws and take an active approach in government. However, submission should be the posture of every Christian in society once those laws are in place. Americans are often too quick to say, “Well, I’ll submit when I like the government that’s in place. I'll be submissive when the ones I voted for are in charge. But I won’t follow them if I didn’t vote for them. I won’t honor them.” This reasoning is to our shame. God's people are to exemplify the same submission that Jesus Christ exemplified when He came to this earth and humbled Himself. Philippians 2:5 says, “Let this mind [attitude] be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”
 
“Dear God, thank You for showing me the life of humility and submission to authority in the life of my Lord, Jesus Christ. I pray that as I continue to learn from You, I will follow in Your footsteps. I will submit to those who are in positions of authority over me. Thank You for sovereignly placing me in America. I pray that righteousness would reign in our great country. I pray that my respect and honor for the laws of my country would be an example to others and draw people to You. I love You. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

1 Peter 2:11 continues with the command to “…abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.” The word “war”, in the Greek language, implies an ongoing engagement, not a single battle. The fleshly lusts will maintain an ongoing war inside of your mind, emotions and will that no one can see. It is invisible, but significant.
 
We come to church and smile at one another. Someone asks, "How's it going?" We say, “Great!” or “Fine!” or “Better than I deserve!” - but no one really knows the invisible war that's going on in our lives where we are battling the flesh that is in us and the world that is around us. This battle is described in 1 John 2:15-17.
 
1 John 2:15–17 (NKJV)
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.
17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
 
Christians experience this invisible war because we know there are certain lifestyles and behaviors we are to avoid, but we also have appetites which God gave us to satisfy.  Peter is specifically saying to abstain from sexual immorality, but God gave us the appetite for sexual intimacy. This appetite is designed by God to be satisfied in the confines of a marriage between a husband and a wife (see Genesis 2:24 and Hebrews 13:4).
 
Sadly, people today often choose to satisfy that appetite in ways that God did not intend - fornication (sex before marriage), adultery (sex with anyone other than your marriage partner), homosexuality, addiction to pornography, etc. The inner war moves beyond that person to include guilt from past addictions, difficulty with forgiving oneself over past relationships, divorce, and broken homes. Peter speaks of the inner war as the result of indulging the flesh, but we know the end result impacts others as well.
 
This can be applied to other areas as well. God gave us the appetite to eat and drink, but we should abstain from overindulgence or an unhealthy diet. God gave us the appetite to achieve, but we should abstain from becoming a workaholic. God gave us the appetite for rest, but we should abstain from laziness. Peter says, “For your own good, abstain. If you don’t, you will experience an ongoing war in your very soul.”
 
Wayne Grudem writes, “Such a command implies that inward desires are not uncontrollable but can be consciously nurtured or restrained—a needed rebuke to our modern society which takes feelings as a morally neutral ‘given’ and disparages any who would say that some feelings and desires are wrong.”[1]
 
God's Word says some feelings and desires are wrong and don’t need to be acted upon. Our world argues, "No way, if I feel it, it must be right. If I want to do it, then I should be allowed to do it." God's Word says abstain from “fleshly lusts”, and God never tells us to do something that He does not also give us the power to accomplish. God says abstain so He has given you the power to say “no” to that temptation.
 
Galatians 5:16-25 contrasts the Spirit-filled life and the flesh-filled life.
 
Galatians 5:16–25 (NKJV)
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,
20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,
21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
 
The Christian who wants to live in victory over the sins of the flesh should remember Galatians 5:16, which reads, “Walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” The “not” is emphatic in the Greek, meaning, “You will not ever fulfill the lust of the flesh.” It is a powerful promise from God’s Word. Do the things you ought to do, and you will not do the things you ought not to do. Spend your time focusing on the Spirit-filled life. Fill your life with what would please God. We sing a wonderful song entitled, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” which includes these lines:
 
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in his wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace
 
Those fleshly temptations will begin to lose their appeal when you are in love with Jesus, filling your life with that which God has provided for you to enjoy. Jesus wants to meet our needs. He wants to satisfy those appetites, but in a way that is healthy and life-giving. Jesus said in John 10:10, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” It doesn’t mean that you won’t be tempted to sin. You will still have to say “no” to temptations. However, instead of always saying “no” to the wrong things, we should focus primarily on saying “yes” to the right things! Our minds should be consumed with the positive rather than the negative.
 
The battle of the flesh and the spirit can be imagined as a fight between two dogs. The dog that will win is the one that is fed, because they are stronger. As a Christian, if you feed the flesh, the lower nature, the base instincts that dominate this world, you will do battle in your soul. You feed your spirit as you read the Bible, pray, live in community with the people of God in a local church, serve God and others with your gifts, share your faith with others, and enjoy those things that God commends in His Word. If God says “yes” to it, enjoy it! If God says “no” to it, abstain from it.
 
Another way to gain victory over the “fleshly lusts” is to see the end result of giving in. Lust leads to sin, and sin leads to death. 
 
James 1:13–15 (NKJV)
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
 
When I was a Youth Pastor, I encouraged the teenagers to “look for the hook” – that is, look past the bait. Every enticement of the world has a “hook”. Jesus said the devil comes to “steal, kill and destroy” (John 10:10), and he will try to accomplish this by enticing you to sin. You may think, “Pastor, that’s a lesson for the teenagers,” but it still applies to all of us.
 
David was not a teenager when he fell into sin with Bathsheba. Noah was not a teenager when he got drunk and naked after being delivered from the world-wide flood. Abraham was married when he went into Egypt and lied about his wife Sarah to the Pharaoh. The truth is, enticements to sin come to adults just as they do to teenagers.
 
When advertisements come to sinful behaviors and lifestyles, they never show you the end result of that addiction. Look at alcohol advertisements. They show you young, thin, happy adults having a good time. They never show you the addiction, the wasted money, the broken homes, or the regret from decisions made under the influence of alcohol. Advertisers show you the worm, which is the bait to lure you. They never show you the hook. Look for the hook.
 
I'm not a fisherman, I've only fished a couple of times, but I remember one in particular where we had a competition to see who could catch the most fish in an hour. We'd also give an award to the person who caught the biggest fish and another award to the person who caught the smallest fish.
 
Well, I didn't know how to fish very well. So someone graciously helped me by providing me with a reel, attaching the hook, and putting a little worm on the line.  I put it in the water and sat there for 45 minutes. While others were catching fish left and right, I saw no bites whatsoever. A few times I thought I might have caught something, but when I pulled it up, it was just seaweed. I threw it back in the water and waited again.
 
Finally, with only 10 minutes left in the competition and still no catch, someone tactfully came up to me and asked to see my hook. When I pulled it up, it was covered in seaweed. He wiped off the old stuff, put two large worms on the hook in such a way that made it look like four worms, and said, "Now throw that in." Two minutes later, I caught something! I even took home one of the awards - the smallest fish award. I was very proud of that award. The truth is, I was trying to entice these fish with a hook and no bait. No fish is enticed with a hook.
 
Satan is smarter than that. He will not entice you with poverty, addiction, divorce, estrangement from family, or anything else he wants you to experience. He will entice you with fornication, adultery, alcohol, recreational drugs, pornography, and a whole host of other “baits”. You have to be smart enough to “look for the hook” and avoid it. Realize this warning is for our good! God is protecting us from heartache and disappointment. He loves us and wants to give us abundant life! Say “yes” to God’s best. Abstain from fleshly lusts!
 
Another way to gain victory over the fleshly lusts is to take drastic action against sin. Jesus says in Matthew 5:30, “And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.” Jesus is not saying to physically dismember yourself. He’s metaphorically saying take drastic steps to avoid sin. Establish guardrails that will keep you from giving into fleshly lusts.
 
The world may never understand the guardrails that we establish that protect us and keep our integrity intact. Even if they don’t understand, we are remaining faithful to God and serve as good examples before others. “The Billy Graham Rule” refers to a decision that Billy Graham made early in his ministry to never meet, travel or dine alone with another woman other than his wife. Graham knew that he was away from his family a lot, and he wanted to maintain his faithfulness to Ruth and his integrity before others.
 
This rule came to the forefront of American politics when it was revealed that Mike Pence, a conservative Christian politician, kept the same rule. Many did not understand the rationale. One writer explained the reaction of many who did not understand Pence’s practice, “How sexist! screamed half of the internet…. Conservative Christians who attempted to stand up for Pence were quickly shouted down.”[2] Leah MarieAnn Klett interviewed Pence and wrote about this for The Christian Post. She wrote,
 
Reflecting on the polarizing reactions to his adherence to the rule, Pence stressed that maintaining professional boundaries has not hindered opportunities for women in his team, instead fostering a respectful work environment.
“It was remarkable that we were being criticized for putting a premium on respecting our marriage and avoiding the appearance of impropriety and also creating conditions in the workplace that were respectful of the men and women that worked with us,” Pence said.[3]
 
Pence and Graham, along with many, many others who live by this rule are simply prioritizing their marriages and staying faithful to their spouses. This may sound drastic, but the goal is to set up guardrails and avoid the conditions that would make it easy to sin. These are a few principles, though there are others, that can help us to live out the command in 1 Peter 2:11 to “abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.”
 
“Dear Lord, thank You for warning me away from temptations that will draw me away from Your best for my life. I want to abstain from the fleshly lusts. I want to experience Your victory. Help me walk in the Spirit. Help me look for the hook. Help me establish guardrails. I pray that I will be the man (or, woman) of integrity and purity You have called me to be. In Jesus’ name, amen.”


[1] Wayne Grudem, 1 Peter, Tyndale NT Commentaries, vol. 17 (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988), 122.
[2] https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/03/mike-pence-and-the-sexism-of-the-billy-graham-rule/521328/, accessed 9/2/2024.

[3] https://www.christianpost.com/books/mike-pence-on-the-billy-graham-rule-and-whats-next.html, accessed 9/2/2024.

1 Peter 2:11–12 (NKJV)
11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,
12 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.
 
We will never do anything great for the Lord until we decide, once and for all, that we are going to live a disciplined life for Him. The word “Christian” means Christ-like. God has put His Spirit inside of us, and we are to live our lives before others in such a way where we reflect Him. You may teach a Sunday School class or a Bible study. Your class may listen to your words, but they are watching your life. Does your walk match your talk?
 
When I was in my early 20’s, I was in youth ministry, and I held a part-time job at a local gym for extra income. Monday through Friday, I had the responsibility of unlocking the doors, opening up the gym, and making sure all of the other employees were there for work. I was also in charge of the wellness floor where people work out as early as 5:00 AM. Every morning, I came to work hungry. So, I got in the habit of stopping by the donut shop or a fast-food place and getting a big combo each morning. You can imagine the scene. Fifty or sixty men and women are working out with weights, using the machines, or doing cardio on the treadmills or other activities. You must be serious to exercise at that time of day. Here I am, stuffing my face with donuts, sugary drinks, and enough calories for the day. That became a season where I was unhealthy and put on extra weight. People would often ask me questions about fitness and health. They would say, “I'm really trying to lose some weight - what do I need to do?” Among other things, I would tell them, “You need to avoid certain types of foods.” Now, the next day, they would watch me as I walked in with my bag of fast-food or my unhealthy sugary drink. Sometimes, I felt so ashamed I would go into my office and turn the light off so they couldn’t see me while I ate! My walk didn’t match my talk. As a young man, I had to learn that in order to teach others how to live healthy lives, I myself had to be healthy. It didn’t mean that I never ate another donut or something that was fried, but I needed to learn self-control. Praise the Lord, I learned a valuable lesson during that season of my life.
 
Spiritually speaking, Christians can sometimes talk a big talk, but their walk doesn’t match their talk. They speak of the power of the Holy Spirit. They shout about how Jesus changed them. They sing about how they are no longer bound in sin. Yet, they are not living the way they are talking, and the world takes notice.
 
In Power Through Prayer, Robert Murray McCheyne is quoted as saying, “Your sermons last but an hour or two; your life preaches all the week.”[1] Christians should be living what we are saying. Our walk should match our talk. This will only happen through discipline, which is a fruit of the Spirit. In Galatians 5:22 says "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." Self-control is synonymous with discipline. We should strive toward discipline in our daily lives. Why? 1 Timothy 4:6 says, “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.” (NASB) The purpose of discipline for a Christian is to express godliness. The Phillips paraphrases this verse, “Take the time and trouble to keep yourself spiritually fit.” Spiritual growth or godliness comes through discipline and self-control.
 
When I use the word “godliness” people often think of a list of do’s and don’ts. One pastor was concerned that some of his church members were smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol. He decided that he would dramatically convince them one Sunday, but it backfired. He chose to illustrate his lesson like this.
 
He came to the pulpit with three jars with lids. The first jar was filled with cigarette smoke. The second jar was filled with alcohol. The third jar was filled with healthy soil. During the introduction of his sermon, he explained the three different jars, held up some worms and said, “You're kind of like this worm.” He took the lids off, placed some of the worms in each jar, and closed the lids. In his sermon, he pointed out different verses of Scripture that would highlight the dangers of smoking and drinking alcohol. At the conclusion of his sermon, he drew their attention back to the jars to see how the worms fared in each environment. He pointed out the jar filled with cigarette smoke that was full of dead worms. Next, he pointed out the jar filled with alcohol that was full of dead worms. Then he said, “Notice the worms that are in the healthy soil. Notice how they are just moving around. They are healthy, and all of them are alive.” He finished with this question, “Can any of you tell me what the moral of this lesson is?” A sweet, older lady stood up and said, “Pastor, I know that if I don’t want to deal with a case of the worms, I need to smoke a lot of cigarettes and I need to drink plenty of alcohol!” This pastor would have to try a different approach next time.
 
Godliness should include saying “no” to lifestyle habits that would hinder our witness before others. Godliness should include avoiding certain music or television programs. Godliness should include removing certain words from our vocabulary. If we have given our lives to Christ, people know that we are Christians, and they are watching us. You are on a stage, and you have the spotlight on you. We do not need to be afraid of the spotlight. We do not need to be afraid of the stage. We need to say, “Come watch my life. I'm not perfect, but I'm living my life under the lordship of Jesus Christ. I have been changed by the power of God. Sin no longer has its hold on me.”
 
What is the motivation or reason for the disciplined life? Peter says in verse eleven that Christians are “sojourners” and “pilgrims”. Peter uses these words to show a parallel between their earthly citizenship and their spiritual citizenship. They were Roman citizens, who used to live in Rome. They had been displaced and now lived in Roman colonies in Asia Minor (or, modern-day Turkey). Their primary citizenship was Rome, but they lived elsewhere.
 
Peter’s audience would recognize this parallel, and hear Peter saying, “You are a Christian. Your spiritual citizenship is with God in heaven. But, you live here in this world among Gentiles and pagans who are lost. Your primary loyalty is to the Lord Jesus Christ. You are temporary residents here.” The word “sojourner” and “pilgrim” means “a displaced person” or “a temporary resident.” These words imply that this place is not your home. Christians are in this world but not of this world.
 
John 17:14–16 (NKJV)
14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.
16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
 
Because the Christian’s permanent home is heaven, our primary loyalty should be to God. Our time in this life is so brief. Time passes so fast, and then we go out into eternity. Christians will spend forever in the presence of God. Therefore, while living in this world, whenever the loyalties of this world and heaven conflict, the Christian’s primary loyalty should be to Jesus Christ. One motivation to holy living or to living a disciplined life is our loyalty to Jesus.
 
However, the primary motivation to live a disciplined life should be love. Peter uses the word “beloved” in 1 Peter 2:11. He is not simply calling the Christian beloved by God, though that is true. He is identifying you with Jesus, Who was the first to be called “Beloved” by God the Father when He was baptized by John the Baptist.
 
Matthew 3:16–17 (NKJV)
16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
 
When you, as a Christian, said, “Jesus, be my Lord” (Romans 10:9-10, 13), God put His Spirit inside of you, and now you are in Christ, and Christ is in you. Galatians 2:20 says, “Christ lives in me.” Ephesians 3:17 says, “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” Colossians 1:27 says, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Romans 8:1 says those who are “in Christ” do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says new believers are “in Christ” where old things have passed away and all things have become new.
 
The primary reason we live a disciplined life is that we love God. He has transformed us, and His love motivates me to live a disciplined life. John 14:15 says, “If you love Me, keep my commandments.”
 
“Dear God, I pray that my walk before others matches my talk! As a child of God, you have set me free from sin. You are my Lord. I pray that I will be an example to others and draw people to You. I love You, and I pray that I will live a more disciplined life because of my loyalty to You. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

[1] Edward M. Bounds, Power through Prayer (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1999), chapter 1.